SOM academic to lead National Science Challenge
Professor Sally Davenport will head a team of 100 researchers in a new role leading the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge.
Victoria Business School academic Professor Sally Davenport will head a team of more than 100 researchers as she steps into a new role leading the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge.
Professor Davenport has been involved in the Challenge since its inception, including co-leading an observational research programme 'Building New Zealand’s Innovation Capacity' that is working closely with the challenge's science and engineering teams to learn more about how to develop relational capacity with industry and Māori organisations.
Her appointment as the Challenge's director follows the resignation of current director Professor Margaret Hyland.
Professor Davenport describes the tasks ahead as "exciting and fascinating".
"It's an exciting National Science Challenge and it's already making great progress in its goal to develop world-leading science and technology that will help New Zealand businesses grow. We’re building a network of partnerships between researchers, businesses and Māori organisations, to achieve this and there’s much to learn about what processes work best.
"I'm looking forward to building on the platform we’ve got going and working with a very clever bunch of scientists and engineers.
It's also fascinating because of the central role of vision mātauranga in both our science and social science projects, which is world-leading, guided by our very enthusiastic Kahui Māori (Māori advisory board)."
Although Professor Davenport's academic career began as a research chemist, she moved into teaching the management of science and technology and is currently Professor of Management at the School of Management.
Victoria University Vice-Provost (Research) Professor Kate McGrath says Professor Davenport's depth of expertise and experience positions her well for her new role.
"Professor Davenport has 26 years of experience at Victoria and is well known for her research in areas such as commercialisation, entrepreneurship, high-tech science innovation and productivity.
"She's also built extensive experience investigating New Zealand’s biotechnology sector, and as emeritus investigator with the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, principal investigator at Te Pūnaha Matatini and commissioner of the New Zealand Productivity Commission.
"I'm confident Professor Davenport possesses the necessary leadership skills, expertise in both science and social science, and wealth of practical research experience, that will help the team make a real difference."
The Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge is one of the government’s 11 National Science Challenges, and focuses on building New Zealand's capacity to use physical and engineering sciences for economic growth.
Professor Davenport is joined by 37 other Victoria researchers working across the 11 National Science Challenges.