Elly Mackay
12 March 2020: The Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Canberra will welcome three Distinguished Fellows this year, as part of a new program intended to strengthen relationships between institutions and expand research collaborations.
Professor Stuart Cunningham, Professor Lisa Waller, and Professor Sara Wilkinson will be the inaugural fellows when the program begins in March.
As Distinguished Fellows, the three Professors will spend time at the University mentoring, collaborating and engaging with researchers and students.
Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design Professor Jason Bainbridge says the presences of the three professors will foster institutional partnerships in research.
“As the pre-eminent experts in their fields, these three Distinguished Fellows will bring fresh perspectives to the faculty and unique insights to our entire community,” Professor Bainbridge said.
“We are extremely proud to be hosting academics of their calibre and look forward to sharing and celebrating the contributions and value they will bring over the coming year.”
The first of a series of events with the Distinguished Fellows will be a public lecture hosted by Dr Cunningham on 16 March, entitled ‘Don’t mention the I-Word’, discussing the recent decline of conversation and public policy surrounding innovation.
The lecture will be hosted by the News and Media Research Centre (N&MRC) at the University, with Professor Sora Park from the Centre saying she’s looking forward to Dr Cunningham’s lecture, and welcoming all three fellows to the faculty.
“The Distinguished Fellow program is an exciting opportunity to further develop sustainable connections within the research community in Australia and expand our research strengths,” Dr Park said.
“Building upon our creative industries focus at the faculty, we carefully selected prominent scholars from communication, culture and urban environments that have worked on large-scale multidisciplinary projects.”
Dr Cunningham is a Distinguished Emeritus Professor at the Queensland University of Technology. He directed the first Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence based in the humanities, creative industries and innovation, and has contributed to the national debate on innovation through research and advocacy.
All three fellows will host similar events throughout 2021.