Alex Zelinsky Explained

Honorific Prefix:	Professor
Alex Zelinsky
Office:	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle
Term Start:	November 2018
Predecessor:	Caroline McMillen
Office2:	Chief Defence Scientist
Term Start2:	March 2012
Term End2:	November 2018
Predecessor2:	Robert Clark
Successor2:	Tanya Monro
Birth Date:	5 March 1960
Birth Place:	Wollongong, New South Wales
Nationality:	Australian
Alma Mater:	University of Wollongong
Module:	Embed: yes Fields: Mobile robotics Thesis Title: Environment exploration and path planning algorithms for mobile robot navigation using sonar Thesis Url: http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/1295/ Thesis Year: 1991 Awards: M. A. Sargent Medal

Alexander Zelinsky (born 5 March 1960) is an Australian computer scientist, systems engineer and roboticist. His career spans innovation, science and technology, research and development, commercial start-ups and education. Professor Zelinsky is Vice-chancellor and President of the University of Newcastle joining the university in November 2018.^[1] He was the Chief Defence Scientist of Australia from March 2012 until November 2018. As Chief Defence Scientist he led defence science and technology for Australia's Department of Defence.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Career

While studying at the University of Wollongong (UoW), Professor Zelinsky started his career in 1978 as a cadet systems engineer at The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP). In 1984 he joined UoW's academic staff where he taught computer science while completing a PhD in robotics. He worked as a research scientist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan, developing computer vision and robotics technologies (1991–1994). He was appointed professor of systems engineering at the Australian National University in 1996, holding that position until 2004. In 2000 as chief executive officer (CEO), he co-founded, and was a non-executive director of,^[5] Seeing Machines Limited, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange (2000–2014).^[6] He was a senior executive at CSIRO (2004–2012), where he served as the Director of the ICT Centre (2004–2009), and Group Executive of Information Sciences (2007–2012).

Professor Zelinsky was Chief Defence Scientist and head of the Defence Science and Technology Group from March 2012^[7] until November 2018.

On 20 June 2018, Professor Zelinsky was announced as the next Vice-chancellor and President of the University of Newcastle^[8] following the retirement of Caroline McMillen.^[9] He assumed the role 19 November 2018.^[10]

Qualifications and awards

Zelinsky has a Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences (Honours), a Doctor of Philosophy, and in 2010 was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science,^{[11] [5]} all from the University of Wollongong.^[12] He also served as a member of the University of Wollongong Council (2012–2015).^[13]

Zelinsky is a Fellow of:

• the Australian Academy of Science (FAA);^[14]
• the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (FIEEE);^{[15] [16]}
• the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE);^[5]
• the Institute of Engineers Australia (Hon FIEAust);^[17]
• the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD);^[5] and
• the Royal Society of New South Wales (FRSN).^[18]

Zelinsky’s awards and appointments include:

• in 2002, the Australian Computer Society - Eureka Prize for ICT Innovation.
• In 2003, 2004,^[19] and 2005, the World Economic Forum selected him as a Technology Pioneer in recognition of his commercialisation of technology with Seeing Machines.
• In May 2005 he was awarded the ATSE's Clunies-Ross Award "for successful innovation involving the application of science and technology for the benefit of Australia".^{[5] [20]}
• Since 2008 he has been named as one of Australia's 100 most influential engineers.^[21]
• In 2011 he led the CSIRO team named as a Global Supplier of the Year by Boeing.^[22]
• In 2012 he was named as an Innovation Hero by The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering.^[23]
• In 2013 he was awarded the Trevor Pearcey Medal by the Pearcey Foundation for "distinguished lifetime achievement and contribution to the development and growth of the ICT professions, research and industry in Australia".^{[24] [25]}
• In 2015 he was awarded the M A Sargent Medal by Engineers Australia for outstanding professional contributions to engineering.^[26]
• In 2017 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2017 Queen's birthday honours. Dr Zelinsky was recognised "for distinguished service to defence science and technology, to systems engineering, and to education as an academic and researcher".^[27]
• In 2019 he was inducted by the Royal Institution of Australia as a Bragg Fellow ^[28]

Lists of publications

• • • Robotics Systems Laboratory, (Australian National University)

External links

• Lessons learned about science and innovation
• News: Alex Zelinsky, CSIRO information sciences group executive . Fran Foo . 2 March 2010 . The Australian .
• News: Science key to defence . Ben Langford . 12 January 2012 . 6 . Illawarra Mercury .
• Web site: Symposium: Australia's science future . 3–4 May 2000 . Australian Academy of Science . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130106174802/http://www.science.org.au/events/agm/future/zelinsky.html . 6 January 2013 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Welcome Professor Alex Zelinsky AO. 2018-11-19. The University of Newcastle, Australia. en. 2019-04-09.
2. Web site: UOW's Alex Zelinsky top defence scientist . Langford . Ben . 11 January 2012 . . Fairfax Media . 29 June 2015.
3. Web site: Chief Defence Scientist. www.dsto.defence.gov.au. 21 June 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120604224310/http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/page/6537/. 4 June 2012.
4. On 23 December 2011, Warren Snowdon, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, announced that Zelinsky would become Australia's Chief Defence Scientist in early 2012, following the retirement of Robert Clark from the role in October 2011.
   Dr Alex Zelinsky appointed as new CDS – 2012, Media Release – Minister Warren Snowdon, www.dsto.defence.gov.au
5. http://www.seeingmachines.com/investors/board-of-directors/ Board of Directors
6. https://www.seeingmachines.com/investors/aim-investor-information/ Seeing Machines Limited website
7. Web site: Dr Alex Zelinsky . . 21 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180621093106/https://www.dst.defence.gov.au/staff/dr-alex-zelinsky . 21 June 2018 . dead . dmy-all .
8. Web site: University of Newcastle's new vice-chancellor Dr Alex Zelinsky will accelerate translation of research. Gregory. Helen. 2018-06-20. Newcastle Herald. en. 2019-04-09.
9. Web site: New Vice-Chancellor announced. 20 June 2018. University of Newcastle. 20 June 2018.
10. Web site: Welcome Professor Alex Zelinsky AO . 19 November 2018 . . 9 December 2018.
11. http://www.uow.edu.au/governance/committees/council/profiles/UOW119665.html Alex Zelinsky
12. http://www.uow.edu.au/index.html University of Wollongong website
13. http://www.uow.edu.au/governance/committees/council/UOW000325.html University Council
14. Web site: Professor Alexander Zelinsky Australian Academy of Science. science.org.au. 2019-06-04.
15. https://www.ieee.org/membership/fellows/fellows-directory.html IEEE Fellows List
16. Web site: IEEE Fellows 2008 | IEEE Communications Society.
17. https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/annual-report/honorary-fellows Institute of Engineers Honorary Fellows List
18. Web site: Fellows of the Royal Society of NSW (Z). live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210402023551/https://www.royalsoc.org.au/images/fellows-pages/RSN-Z-Fellows.html. 2021-04-02. 2021-07-02. Royal Society of New South Wales.
19. Web site: The next big thing? – The World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers 2004 . 25 . Apax Partners . . 2004 . 3 November 2012 .
20. http://www.atse.org.au/clunies-ross-awards/awards/past-award-winners Past Award Winners
21. http://engineerstop100.realviewtechnologies.com/ Australia's Top 100 Engineers
22. http://archive.innovation.gov.au/ministersarchive2011/Carr/MediaReleases/Pages/BOEINGNAMESTHECSIROSUPPLIEROFTHEYEAR.html Boeing names the CSIRO Supplier of the Year
23. http://thewarrencentre.org.au/activities/innovation-hero-awards/ Innovation Hero Awards
24. http://www.pearcey.org.au/Awards Pearcey Medal for Lifetime Achievement
25. http://www.pearcey.org.au/2013_National_Medal 2013 National Medal
26. Web site: Electrical College Awards Evening 2015 www.engineersaustralia.org.au. engineersaustralia.org.au. en. 2017-07-16.
27. https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/qb/qb2017/mnxi3_8skq/Media%20Notes%20-%20AO.pdf Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia
28. Web site: Bragg Fellow Biographies. riaus.org.au/. en. 2019-11-07. 5 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105221606/https://riaus.org.au/bragg-member-bios/. dead.