Leigh Sullivan will leave his position as vice-chancellor for research and innovation at Federation University Australia to take on the same position at Canberra.
University of Canberra has poached Leigh Sullivan (pictured), deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation at Federation University Australia, to take on an identical title at Canberra from November 19.
Sullivan’s job will include presiding over the research and innovation direction as set out under University of Canberra’s latest strategic plan, titled Distinctive by Design, which emphasises building research capacity to drive entrepreneurship and meet real-world challenges.
His arrival at Canberra means George Cho, the university’s acting deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation, will return to his duties as a professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Sullivan has been with Federation University Australia since 2016. His role has included responsibility for Federation University’s Ballarat Technology Park, a development with capacity for 65 enterprises which is currently undergoing partial refurbishment.
Before joining Federation University, Sullivan had worked at Southern Cross University, starting as a professor in 2005 before becoming deputy pro vice-chancellor for research development, acting pro vice-chancellor for research, and finally, dean of graduate studies.
Sullivan’s own research, focused on acid sulphate soils and carbon biosequestration, has attracted more than $17m in competitive funding. He chaired the International Union of Soil Sciences’ Acid Sulfate Soil Working Group on two separate occasions, from 2002 until 2010 and between 2014 and 2018.
Sullivan was also deputy chair of a physics, chemistry and environment panel run by the government-backed Australian Research Council’s (ARC’s) College of Experts, and has also helped ARC committees focused on its research evaluation framework and Centre for Excellence collaboration program.
Sullivan said: “I am very much looking forward to joining the university and to help assist the university and its stakeholders to achieve further success in all of their activities, but especially in those involving research, innovation and entrepreneurship.”