Leading the Way for ARMI
As a result of a recent strategic review, Institute Director, Professor Peter Currie is pleased announces three new members of an expanded executive team: Professor James Bourne, Professor Graham Lieschke and Associate Professor Edwina McGlinn. These three Institute Research Group leaders will join the Director as well as Professor Claude Bernard (Emeritus Professor), Penelope Rowlett (Institute Manager) and Silvio Tiziani (Director, External Strategy and Planning) in meeting regularly to discuss the current health of and proposed improvements for the Institute.
“The expansion of the executive is the natural next step in ARMI’s evolution…”
Professor James Bourne will join as Head of Research Excellence and Mentorship. Research excellence forms the bedrock of ARMI, whether it be catapulting our reputation forward on the global stage or helping ARMI groups become more competitive for grants and funding. Codifying oversight and ensuring protocols are implemented to maintain ethics compliance and research integrity will only make ARMI’s research output stronger. Equally as important is mentorship. Scientific research is fraught with highs and lows, complex bureaucracies to navigate and puzzling quandaries. Mentorship is one way to help smooth out the bumpy journey that is science by facilitating the exchange of ideas, learnings and wisdom. By strengthening mentorship at ARMI, we hope to create more robust relationships within the Institute, to create a safe space for all to openly discuss their concerns and struggles, and to nurture the next generation of regenerative medicine researchers.
Professor Graham Lieschke will take on the role of Head of Student Programs. Students are vital to the fabric of ARMI, not only as researchers but also as individuals who contribute to the institute’s youthful and energetic culture. Over the past 10 years, ARMI has grown its student cohort, from seven students in 2009 to a peak of 50 in 2015. This has included students at all levels, from undergraduate students as part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to PhD students. ARMI is also unique in its offerings to students, with industry-based PhDs to co-supervised projects with the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This growth and expansion of the student portfolio has necessitated installing an official role to shepherd the best and brightest researchers at ARMI.
Associate Professor Edwina McGlinn will be Head – Inclusion, Diversity and Well Being. ARMI is committed to addressing systemic barriers and unconscious bias on a number of axes, including gender, sexuality, race and class. Guaranteeing that ARMI is a workplace and learning institution that welcomes all is not only a moral imperative, but one that benefits the quality of science and the well being of our team. Having Edwina, a long-standing advocate and internal champion of diversity and intersectionality, oversee this at ARMI will galvanise our commitment to upholding our values of inclusion.
“We’re excited to have James, Graham and Edwina join the executive and can’t wait to hear their ideas!”
The expansion of the executive is the natural next step in ARMI’s evolution and will work towards strengthening ARMI as a research leader in the field of regenerative medicine and as a leader in maintaining good internal research culture. We’re excited to have James, Graham and Edwina join the executive and can’t wait to hear their ideas!