Professor Willy Zwaenepoel appointed Dean of Engineering and IT
Professor Willy Zwaenepoel has been appointed Dean of the University of Sydney's Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, starting on 15 June 2018.
Professor Willy Zwaenepoel.
Currently based at the 脡cole Polytechnique F茅d茅rale de Lausanne (EPFL), Professor Zwaenepoel is a well-established global leader in experimental computer science research, with a particular interest in distributed systems and operating systems.
鈥淧rofessor Zwaenepoel will join the University of Sydney at an important time for our as it moves ahead with its strategy and engages in a significant digital and physical infrastructure renewal,鈥� said .
鈥淚n particular, Professor Zwaenepoel鈥檚 expertise in commercialisation will be of great benefit to the faculty, and indeed the wider University as we seek to broaden our external engagement.鈥�
Born in Belgium, Professor Zwaenepoel studied at Ghent University before completing his master鈥檚 and doctorate degrees at Stanford. He spent almost two decades at Rice University in the United States, before spending nine years as dean of EPFL鈥檚 School of Computer and Communication Sciences.
Professor Zwaenepoel has been elected as a Fellow of both the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Association for Computing Machinery.
He was a key advisor to Nutanix from 2010 (currently valued at US$5.5 billion) and his research has led to two startups, iMimic and BugBuster, being acquired by Cisco. He has played a major role in attracting industry funding, including a Microsoft gift totalling 9 million Swiss francs (around AUD$12 million) to EPFL and ETH Zurich. He continues to advise several start-ups and is as a member of the board of ICTSwitzerland.
鈥淚 am excited about the possibility of leading a faculty that is on a rapid upward trajectory and has plenty of opportunity for further growth,鈥� said Professor Zwaenepoel.
鈥淭he University of Sydney鈥檚 engineering and IT academics attract plaudits from around the world and I hope that under my leadership we can work together to foster collaboration and application of research ideas to real-world problems.鈥�
Professor Zwaenepoel will also bring to Sydney what he describes as a singular focus on excellence in recruitment, promotion and retention while dean at EPFL, where he recruited a number of senior academics from prominent US universities and increased the number of women academics as he grew the school and increased its profile.
鈥淎 鈥榞ood people above all鈥� line of thinking has informed many of my decisions,鈥� he said. 聽
Professor Zwaenepoel will take up his new role in June, replacing Professor Archie Johnston whose term concludes at the end of this year.
鈥淧rofessor Johnston has made a significant contribution in making and sustaining the faculty鈥檚 outstanding international reputation. He has worked with colleagues to build a wonderful foundation for the future and we wish him well,鈥� the Vice-Chancellor added. 聽
, Deputy Dean and Associate Dean (Research Management and Research Education) in the faculty, will serve as Acting Dean until Professor Zwaenepoel鈥檚 arrival.
