New Dean of Science, Architecture & Design

A leading scientist at Industrial Research Ltd has been appointed as Victoria University's new Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Science and Dean of Architecture & Design.

Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon said Dr David Bibby has a distinguished record in research, including a Doctor of Science degree from Loughborough University in Britain and many years' experience in the management of science, most recently with IRL as general manager of science policy.

"Dr Bibby brings to this position a strong strategic focus on the development of teaching and research within the Science and Architecture & Design faculties, together with excellent external contacts that will not only help staff successfully generate external funding but also to navigate Victoria's entry into the Performance Based Research Fund."

Victoria University and Industrial Research Limited have a long history of working together and collaborate on many projects where they share equipment, funding and premises. From this relationship a number of scholarships have developed for students at a graduate and postgraduate level. Most of the postgraduate research is carried out at IRL with supervision by staff that are part of major international research projects. This relationship has produced some notable graduates, most recently Ocean Mercier, the first Maori woman in New Zealand to graduate with a PhD in Physics.

IRL is also a partner in the Government-funded Centre of Research Excellence, the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology that Victoria hosts in partnership with Canterbury University.

IRL is a Crown Research Institute that serves a range of industry sectors with an emphasis on manufacturing, processing, biopharmaceuticals and energy sectors. It employs 400 staff in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch with offshore offices and joint ventures in Australia, Singapore, Japan, the United States and Britain. IRL also has established two incubators in New Zealand where start-up high tech companies can be supported.

As PVC, Dr Bibby becomes a member of the University's senior management team, reporting directly to the Vice-Chancellor and is the line manager to whom the Heads of the schools of architecture, biological sciences, chemical & physical sciences, design, earth sciences, mathematical & computing sciences & psychology report.

As Dean of Science and Dean of Architecture & Design, he will be responsible for the academic programmes in the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Architecture & Design, chairing the Faculty Boards and managing enrolment staff.

Dr Bibby replaces Professor Peter Englert who left last year to become Chancellor of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

Dr Bibby will start work at Victoria on April 7.

Issued by Victoria University of Wellington Public Affairs
For further information please contact Antony.Paltridge@vuw.ac.nz or phone 04 463 5873 or 029 463 5873

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