New Pro Vice-Chancellor for University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich has appointed Professor Tom Barnes as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research & Enterprise.
Currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, Professor Barnes will take up his new position in January 2008. He will lead Greenwich’s research, enterprise and regional strategies, building on its existing success: the university has the highest income for research grants and contracts among post-1992 universities.
British-born, Tom Barnes was educated in the UK and has a BSc (Hons, Double First), MSc and PhD in Physics from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. After post-doctoral appointments, he spent many years as a research engineer and senior scientist in industrial and government research organisations, first in the United Kingdom, then in New Zealand and Japan. He joined the University of Auckland in 1991. In 2000 he received a University of Auckland Distinguished Teaching Award and was also awarded a personal chair. Tom has held the post of Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the university since 2001. Since then, the university has become recognised internationally as the leading university in New Zealand. It has become host to four of eight national Centres of Research Excellence, it has nearly doubled its research capacity, and its commercial research company, Uniservices, is now acknowledged as one of the most successful university commercialisation and knowledge transfer operations in Australasia.
Professor Barnes is a physicist with particular expertise in optical information processing, optoelectronics and adaptive optics. He has won a number of awards for his work including the Cooper Medal of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1996. He was elected fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1999. Professor Barnes holds several patents and collaborates in research with laboratories in New Zealand, the UK and Japan.
Tom Barnes says: “The University of Greenwich is uniquely placed to contribute to regional, national, and international development agendas through its research and enterprise activities. I am very much looking forward to working with colleagues at the university to build on the excellent base already established there, to grow its contribution, and to develop a strong and distinctive enterprise profile in the region that further enhances the reputation of the institution.”
Baroness Blackstone, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich, welcomed the appointment saying: “I am delighted to have recruited Tom Barnes who has been responsible for research and enterprise at New Zealand’s top university. We are looking forward to drawing on Tom’s commitment and enthusiasm in order further to develop our research and enterprise programme. He will also play an important corporate role as Pro Vice-Chancellor, contributing to the university’s strategy in a number of areas.”
Tom Barnes will succeed Professor John Humphreys, who is retiring after ten years as Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Greenwich. John will retain academic links with the university, pursuing his interests in marine science research and African development.
ENDS
For further information or photos call:
Public Relations
University of Greenwich
020 8331 8937 / 8092