22 August 2012
Biochemist, researcher and Irish university leader Dr David Lloyd has been appointed as the University of South Australia’s new Vice Chancellor and President.
Currently Bursar and Director of Strategic Innovation at Trinity College Dublin, one of Europe’s oldest and most prominent universities, Dr Lloyd was Dean and Vice President of Research at Trinity between 2007 and 2011.
A leading Biochemist specialising in computer-aided drug design, Dr Lloyd heads the Molecular Design Group at Trinity, Ireland’s leading innovative drug discovery research centre.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is concurrently the inaugural Chair of the Irish Research Council.
Announcing the appointment, University of South Australia Chancellor Dr Ian Gould said the selection committee was delighted to be able to appoint such an outstanding and energetic individual to the role.
“We all are rightly proud of the way in which the University has developed under Denise Bradley and Peter Høj,” Dr Gould says.
“Their outstanding leadership has delivered an institution that challenges and often exceeds the performance of more established universities.
“We believe Dr Lloyd will bring energy and enthusiasm to the role of Vice Chancellor and President and that his accomplishments, expertise and personal outlook reflect precisely the needs of the University in the coming period.”
Dr Lloyd was director of Trinity Research and Innovation and Associate Dean of Research at Trinity from 2005.
During his period as Dean and Vice President of Research, David was centrally involved in delivering a strategy that, amongst other sharp improvements in performance, lifted Trinity College Dublin to 52nd in the QS World Rankings and 76th in the Times Higher World Rankings by 2010 and also increased research income at Trinity from €56m to over €100m per annum within five years.
Dr Lloyd also took the lead role in securing €131m funding and planning the development of the successful Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute.
His commitment to community engagement is showcased by a steering role in the delivery of Creativity in the Community, Trinity’s initiative for engagement with the City of Dublin, which conceived and realised the “Pearse Corridor”, a €750m regeneration project linking education and enterprise.
He has also served on a number of national committees and other bodies in Ireland, including the National Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (ACSTI) and a subgroup of the Taoiseach’s (Prime Minister’s) Innovation Task Force.
Dr Lloyd said he was honoured to accept the position and excited to be joining the University.
“The University of South Australia is on a solid trajectory for national and international excellence and it is very exciting for me to be a part of that and to be able to work with such dedicated and committed staff towards achieving our goals,” he says.
“I want to continue to focus our efforts on ensuring unparalleled research, informed student experience and scholarship, with the University positioned at the heart of a vibrant community."
Dr Lloyd will take up his appointment early in 2013.
Media contact: Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673 email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au
