CQUniversity has announced 2 new senior appointments, with Professor Rob Reed becoming Dean of the School of Medical and Applied Sciences and Associate Professor Col Greensill appointed as Director of the University's Pathways projects...

Professor Reed arrived at CQUniversity in 2007 as Foundation Professor of Biomedical Sciences and has acted as Program Director for Undergraduate Science. He has recently been acting Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of Sciences, Engineering and Health.

New roles for Professor Rob Reed (left) and Associate Professor Col Greensill

Rob's research focus is on microbiology and the work he has done (and is supervising) is aimed at finding simple and effective methods of disinfecting water for drinking. Among other things, he will work closely with DVC Professor Mark Burton to develop new CQUniversity programs (as early as 2011) in medical and health sciences.

Professor Reed completed his BSc & PhD in Microbiology at Liverpool University in the UK before going to work as a researcher in Sir William Stewart's lab at Dundee University. After a brief spell at St Andrews University, he then worked for 18 years at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne. During his time at Northumbria, Rob was Reader in Microbiology, Head of Biological & Food Sciences and then Head of Biomedical Sciences. He was particularly active in developing and implementing applied science programs, including accredited Biomedical Sciences programs at BSc and MSc level - these were the first in the UK to include work-integrated learning within a standard length full-time program [e.g. 3 years for BSc]. He was also an External Examiner at a range of UK Universities, including Glasgow, Liverpool and Bristol.

Rob is also a co-author of the 'Practical Skills' series of student textbooks - with total sales of over 100,000. These books have become established as recommended texts in universities across Europe, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. The books embody Rob's beliefs in the value of subject-specific skills, as well as generic attributes, covering a wide range of aspects of the student learning journey.

Associate Professor Col Greensill has become Director of the University's Pathways projects operating from CQUniversity Mackay and Gladstone. The primary aim of the Pathways projects is to ensure, and where necessary develop, clear and readily accessible lifelong learning pathways from school, to employment and across all sectors of tertiary education and training.

Col is currently the Associate Professor in Mining and Head of the Resource Engineering and Technology and Industrial Engineering and Technology programs at CQUniversity.  In this role he works intensively with leaders in the Resources sector to develop solutions to address the critical engineering skills shortage. 

Associate Professor Greensill has travelled the pathways himself: from completion of an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner; through to FLEX mode for completion of an undergraduate degree at CQUniversity in Applied Physics and a PhD in Physics.  He used the fundamental elements of his PhD to achieve an Australian first: the development and commercialisation of Australia's first system to sort fruit by sweetness.

Col's primary research interests are process control, advanced sensors, chemometrics and safety culture modelling. He was one of the founding researchers of the Process and Light Metals Centre in Gladstone. Since 2002 he has chaired the Gladstone Centre for Clean Coal (GC3) which aims to enhance the integration of coal-linked industries with the community in which they exist.