Two new Executive Deans at Uni of Adelaide

Friday, 18 August 2006

The University of Adelaide has appointed new Executive Deans to two of its five academic Faculties.

Renowned palaeontology researcher and Head of the University's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Professor Bob Hill, will become Executive Dean of the Faculty of Sciences next month.

And the University's inaugural Professor of Marketing, Professor Pascale Quester, will become Executive Dean of the Faculty of the Professions when she returns from study leave next July.

University Vice-Chancellor Professor James McWha said: "I am delighted to announce these two appointments. They both have outstanding academic and research records, and have done much to raise the profile of the University and its research globally. Their background, experience and collaborative links with external organisations make them ideal candidates for these important positions."

Professor Hill is a BSc, PhD and Doctor of Science graduate of the University of Adelaide. He was Head of the School of Plant Science at the University of Tasmania before returning to the University of Adelaide to take up the position of Australian Research Council (ARC) Senior Research Fellow in 1999.

He was appointed Head of Science at the South Australian Museum in 2001 and became Head of School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University in 2003. He has won many awards including the Clarke and Burbidge Medals for his research into the impact of long-term climate change on the evolution of Australian vegetation.

Professor Hill was judged against a strong, international field. He succeeds Professor Peter Rathjen who left to take up a position as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Melbourne in March.

Professor Quester has been Acting in the position of Executive Dean since September 2005, succeeding Professor Fred McDougall who is now Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Professor Quester joined the University as a lecturer in 1991, becoming Professor of Marketing in 2002. She built up the discipline of marketing within the School of Commerce, establishing specialist undergraduate and postgraduate streams. She has served as Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of the Professions from 2004.

Professor Quester has produced over 125 refereed publications and is co-author of two text books, both in their fifth editions. She has been awarded both ARC Linkage and ARC Discovery grants and established the Franco-Australian Centre for International Research in Marketing.

Professor Christopher Findlay, Head of the School of Economics, will be Acting Executive Dean of the Faculty of the Professions until Professor Quester takes up her appointment in 2007.

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