Recruits add flair to Curtin executive

Curtin University of Technology has made two high profile appointments, with the recruitment of Gordon Martin as chancellor and Professor Linda Kristjanson as pro vice chancellor research and development.

Mr Martin is the chairman of Coogee Chemicals, one of Western Australia’s largest privately owned businesses, and chairman and major shareholder of Coogee Resources, which is planning a $450 million oil project in the Timor Sea.

He is also chairman of the Western Australian Energy Research Alliance, which includes Curtin, the University of WA and CSIRO Petroleum.

Mr Martin is expected to relinquish his WA ERA role because the Curtin appointment means he will no longer qualify as an independent chairman.

He is due to become chancellor on 1 June, succeeding Dr Eric Tan, who stepped down from the role after the collapse of merger negotiations with Murdoch University.

Professor Kristjanson has been recruited from Edith Cowan University, where she was associate dean of research and higher degrees.

She was credited with bringing a large amount of research funding into Edith Cowan, and her move adds to the pressure facing the university.

Edith Cowan has been adversely affected by a fall in student enrolments and is expected to lose research funding as a result of new federal government guidelines.

With a background in nursing education and research, Professor Kristjanson has been involved in a wide range of research activity.

Her achievements were recognised in her selection as the 2002 Australian Telstra Business Woman of the Year for her entrepreneurial work in health and science.