Our People

While not yet at full capacity, the RiAus has appointed some key individuals, with other appointments to follow in the run-up to the opening of the building in 2009.

Professor Gavin Brown AO FAA CorrFRSE: Inaugural Director

Gavin Brown became Professor of Pure Mathematics at UNSW in 1976. Winner of the Australian Mathematical Society Medal, former Vice-President of the Australian Academy of Science and member of the Australian Research Council, he has honorary degrees from St Andrews (1997) and Dundee (2004). Former Dean of Science at UNSW, Vice-Chancellor at Adelaide, he became Vice-Chancellor at Sydney in 1996.

During his tenure the University has increased research income by a factor of more than eight, has pursued an energetic building program and has invested in the broad student experience with outstanding International and Australian success in sport and debating.

Foundation Chair of the Go8 universities and past President of the AC21 international consortium, he is Chair of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors, Gavin serves in several capacities to promote the business/higher education interface. In January 2006 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Gavin continues active mathematical research and in March 2007 he was elected a Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Gavin was appointed as the Inaugural Director of the RiAus in August 2008.

Damian Scanlon: Chief Operating Officer 

As Chief Operating Officer for the RiAus, Damian is responsible for the the practical implementation of the new vision for the RiAus, set out by the Council and Director; to ensure that all parts of the RiAus are run in line with the very best management practices.  In so doing he is also responsible for the efficient and effective management of all operations and support services at the RiAus, including financial management, and for the day to day running of the organisation.

Damian has had more than fifteen years senior executive experience working for major Australian publicly listed companies.  Positions held included Director, Chairman and Managing Director and CEO of subsidiary companies, as well as holding group and general management positions at the state and national level.  He has been intimately involved in organisations built within the scientific context and understands the role of research from a number of perspectives.

Since leaving the corporate environment in late 1998, he worked in the aquaculture industry with his brothers.  This experience has been invaluable in so far as establishing the balance between micro and macro management within the context of very limited resources and managing growth.

Damian holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Master of Business Administration and is delighted to be part of the RiAus team.

Amanda Tyndall: Head of Programs

Amanda Tyndall leads the creative development of RiAus programs, and oversees and coordinates all aspects of events delivery at the RiAus, a role she previously filled at London?s Royal Institution of Great Britain (RiGB).

Armed with a degree in pharmacology and a masters degree in science communication from one of the world?s top universities (Imperial College, London), she has for the past fifteen years dedicated herself to communicating science in various guises and to everyone from schoolchildren to politicians.