Alexander ‘Alex’ Zelinsky, Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia
, 12 June 2017, Media Notes pg.55, 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours list, www.gg.gov.au (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. He was the

Chief Defence Scientist The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) is part of the Department of Defence (Australia), Australian Department of Defence dedicated to providing science and technology support to safeguard Australia and its national interests. The age ...

of Australia from March 2012 until November 2018. As Chief Defence Scientist he led Defence Science and Technology for Australia's

Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...

Career

While studying at the

University of Wollongong The University of Wollongong (abbreviated as UOW) is an Australian public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney. As of 2017, the university had an enrolment of ...

(UoW), Zelinsky started his career in 1978 as a cadet systems engineer at

The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited BHP Group Limited (formerly known as BHP Billiton) is an Australian multinational mining, metals, natural gas petroleum public company that is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Broken Hill Proprietary Company was founded ...

(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 The , or AIST, is a Japanese research facility headquartered in Tokyo, and most of the workforce is located in Tsukuba Science City, Ibaraki, and in several cities throughout Japan. The institute is managed to integrate scientific and engineeri ...

(AIST), Japan, developing computer vision and robotics technologies (1991–1994). He was appointed Professor of Systems Engineering at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and ...

in 1996, holding that position until 2004. In 2000 as

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

(CEO), he co-founded, and was a non-executive director of,Board of Directors
, Seeing Machines Limited. Seeing Machines Limited, a company listed on the

London Stock Exchange London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange in the City of London, England, United Kingdom. , the total market value of all companies trading on LSE was £3.9 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Pau ...

(2000–2014). He has also been a Senior Executive at

CSIRO The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentar ...

(2004–2012), where he served as Director of the ICT Centre (2004–2009), and Group Executive of Information Sciences (2007–2012). Zelinsky was

and head of the

Defence Science and Technology Group The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) is part of the Australian Department of Defence dedicated to providing science and technology support to safeguard Australia and its national interests. The agency's name was changed from Defence ...

from March 2012 until November 2018. On 20 June 2018, Zelinsky was announced as the next Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Newcastle following the retirement of

Caroline McMillen Isabella Caroline McMillen, (born 23 September 1954) is an Australian medical and health academic and the incumbent Chief Scientist of South Australia since October 2018. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences ...

. He assumed the role 19 November 2018.

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,Alex Zelinsky
, UoW Council Member Profile, www.uow.edu.au all from the University of Wollongong. He also served as a member of the University of Wollongong Council (2012–2015). Zelinsky is a Fellow of: *the

Australian Academy of Science The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The academy is modelled after the Royal Soci ...

(FAA); *the

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a 501(c)(3) professional association for electronic engineering and electrical engineering (and associated disciplines) with its corporate office in New York City and its operation ...

(FIEEE); *the

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is a learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems. It was founded in 1975 as one of Australia's then four learned academies (now five) ...

(FTSE); *the Institute of

Engineers Australia Engineers Australia (EA) is an Australian professional body and not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to advance the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community. Engineers Australia is Australia's recognized org ...

(Hon FIEAust); *the

Australian Institute of Company Directors The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) is a non-profit membership organization for directors. The AICD is a founding member of the Global Network of Director Institutes (GNDI). History The origins of the AICD can be traced ba ...

(FAICD); and *the

Royal Society of New South Wales The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society. The Society was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June ...

(FRSN). Zelinsky’s awards and appointments include: *In 2003, 2004, and 2005, the

World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...

selected him as a Technology Pioneer in recognition of his commercialisation of technology with Seeing Machines. *In May 2005 he was awarded the

ATSE The emperor of Ethiopia ( gez, ንጉሠ ነገሥት, nəgusä nägäst, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse ( am, ዐፄ, "emperor"), was the hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century until the abolition ...

Clunies-Ross Award The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is a Learned society, learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems. It was founded in 1975 as one of Australia's then four learned acad ...

"for successful innovation involving the application of science and technology for the benefit of Australia". *Since 2008 he has been named as one of Australia's 100 most influential engineers. *In 2011 he led the CSIRO team named as a Global Supplier of the Year by

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...

. *In 2012 he was named as an Innovation Hero by

The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering is an Australian engineering and science policy think-tank, established in 1983 and named for Australia's first engineering lecturer. The Sydney-based centre describes itself as Australia’s premier inde ...

. *In 2013 he was awarded the Trevor Pearcey Medal by the

Pearcey Foundation The Pearcey Foundation is an Australian organisation dedicated to raising the profile of the Australian Information Technology and Telecommunications industry. The foundation was formed in 1998 and is named after Trevor Pearcey, an Australian engi ...

for "distinguished lifetime achievement and contribution to the development and growth of the ICT professions, research and industry in Australia". *In 2015 he was awarded the

M A Sargent Medal The M. A. Sargent Medal is awarded by Engineers Australia for longstanding eminence in science or the practice of electrical engineering. It is named in honour of Michael Anthony (Mike) Sargent, an outstanding Australian electrical engineer. The med ...

for outstanding professional contributions to engineering. *In 2017 he was appointed an

Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

(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". *In 2019 he was inducted by the Royal Institution of Australia as a Bragg Fellow

Lists of publications

* *
Robotics Systems Laboratory
(Australian National University)

References

External links

Lessons learned about science and innovation
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zelinsky, Alex 1960 births Australian National University faculty Chief Defence Scientists CSIRO people Fellow Members of the IEEE Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Living people Officers of the Order of Australia University of Wollongong alumni University of Wollongong faculty Fellows of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Fellows of the Royal Society of New South Wales