Our People

INAUGURAL DIRECTOR

Professor Gavin Brown AO, FAA, CorrFRSE, FRSN

    Gavin Brown became Professor of Pure Mathematics at the University of NSW 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). He is a former Dean of Science at UNSW and Vice-Chancellor at Adelaide University, and became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney in 1996.

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

Foundation chair of the Go8 universities and past president of the AC21 international consortium, Gavin is also chair of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors, Gavin serves in several capacities to promote the business/higher education interface and in January 2006 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. He was appointed as Inaugural Director of the RiAus in August 2008.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Damian Scanlon

    As Chief Operating Officer for the RiAus, Damian is responsible for the the practical implementation of  the RiAus's vision, as 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 15 years' senior executive experience working for major Australian publicly listed companies.  Positions he has held include director, chairman and managing director and CEO of subsidiary companies. In addition he has held 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.

Damian left the corporate environment in late 1998 to work with his brothers in the aquaculture industry. This provided him with invaluable experience in establishing the balance between micro and macro management in a 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.

HEAD OF PROGRAMS

Amanda Tyndall

    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 the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RiGB) in London.

Armed with a degree in pharmacology and a masters degree in science communication from Imperial College, London, Amanda has dedicated herself for the past 15 years to communicating science in various guises and to everyone from schoolchildren to politicians.