About the Vice-Chancellor
 Professor Helen Garnett |
Professor Helen Garnett is currently Vice-Chancellor at the Charles Darwin University, having commenced in that role in October 2003.
Before taking up her role as Vice-Chancellor, Professor Garnett was the Executive Director of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), and Acting Executive Director since 1994. From 1992 to 1994 she was Deputy Executive Director of the same organisation.
Professor Garnett has a national and international reputation for her contribution to the life sciences and the peaceful development and application of nuclear technologies and as an Australian representative to the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency from 1994 until joining Charles Darwin University has played a significant role in numerous international initiatives.
Professor Garnett is an Emeritus Professor of the University of Wollongong and prior to joining ANSTO was Professor and Head of the Department of Biology at the University of Wollongong, Australia (1987-1992), and Foundation Professor and Head of the Department of Microbiology, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (1979-1986).
Professor Garnett was born in Australia and educated at the University of Sydney, where she gained first class honours for her Bachelor of Science degree (1969), the University of London, and the University of Wales, where she completed her Doctor of Philosophy in 1974.
She is a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is currently a Director of Energy Resources of Australia Ltd, IDP Education Australia Ltd, Business-Higher Education Round Table and Australia's Academic and Research Network. She has previously held directorships in a number of organisations and served on committees of both the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia.
Awards and recognition
- 2005 - Public Service medal for leadership in role as Executive Director of ANSTO
- 2003 - Centenary Medal for outstanding service to nuclear science and technology
- 2002 - NSW Finalist, Telstra Woman of the Year Awards
- 2002 - Nominated and photographed for the exhibition "Schools of Thought - A celebration of the Sesquicentenary", an exhibition to celebrate the Sesquicentenary of the University of Sydney in October 2002 - each faculty being asked to nominate just one or two teachers, students or past students who have made a difference
- 1999 - Fellowship of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
- 1997 - Emeritus Professorship, University of Wollongong
- 1996 - Fellowship of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)
- 1993 - Hamilton Maynard Award, South Africa - for the best individual paper over 25 years in the South African Journal of Medicine
- 1992 - Profiled in an exhibition on Women in Science at the National Science Centre, Canberra, in recognition of her research and community activities
- 1991 - Women in Engineering Award, Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating Engineers - for contributions to improving the understanding of Legionella - Microbiology and Control
- 1981 - Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA - for contributions on the applications of nuclear physics to medicine
- 1980 - CJ Adams Trust Travelling Fellowship
- 1980 - University of the Witwatersrand Council Fellowship
- 1977 - CSIR-NCRD Exchange Fellowship 1969 - Commonwealth Overseas Scholarship
Director appointments
Current
- 2002 - Business Higher Education Round Table Board
- 2004 - IDP Education Australia Ltd
- 2004 - Australia's Academic and Research Network
- 2005 - Energy Resources of Australia Ltd
Previous
- 1994 - 2003 ANSTO Board
- 1994 - 2003 Board of Governors (alt), International Atomic Energy Agency (of the United Nations), IAEA
- 1999 - 2003 President and Chair, ANSTO Inc (A company incorporated in the USA to facilitate ANSTO technology uptake in US government waste remediation projects)
- 1995 - 2003 Chair, Australian Synchrotron Research Program Inc
- 1992 - 2003 Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) Council
- 1998 - University of Technology, Sydney, UTS, Council (Ministerial appointee); Chair Audit and Review Committee of Council; and from 2002, elected Pro-Chancellor and Member, Council Commercial Activities Committee
- 1996 - 2000 Integral Energy - a NSW Government Business Enterprise
- 1995 - 1998 Australian Academic Research Network (AARNET)
- 1994 - 1998 Chair, Tracerco - a joint venture between ANSTO and ICI (This business was sold and operates today with customers around Australia and in SE Asia. Its offices are located at the Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre; ANSTO provides consultancy services on a commercial basis)
- 1992 - 1997 Australian Centre for Risk and Reliability Engineering - a joint venture between ANSTO and the University of Sydney (This initiative spawned a private consulting business in risk and an ANSTO Business Unit which operates commercially today in Reliability/Remaining Life Engineering)
- 1985 - 1986 Highveld Biological Pty Ltd (A start-up biotechnology company operating today with global markets)
