Melbourne School of Graduate Research

Professor Dick Strugnell

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate Research)

Dick Strugnell is a microbiologist with an interest in vaccines against bacterial infections. This interest was sparked by studies he performed as part of his PhD in the early 1980s. The importance of supervisory teams was brought into focus when his sole supervisor left at the end of his first year to pursue a different career.

He muddled along for a number of years, part self-supervising, and trying to find financial support for his research. Fortunately, competitive research grants were less competitive in the 'good old' days. His scholarship stipend was obtained with the caveat that he would teach as much as demanded, without any additional funding. He completed his PhD with a Churchill Fellowship and, having been impressed by the US work ethic and UK beer, he settled on the UK for his post-doc. Dick returning from the UK and obtained a Senior Lectureship at Melbourne in 1991.

Dick's interest in graduate training in part stemmed from his work in the CRC for Vaccine Technology where he was part of the Education Advisory Committee, a body that provided great extension opportunities, including IP training and funded work experience, to some 90 PhD students over 13 years. He joined the Postgraduate Scholarships Committee and then the School of Graduate Studies as an Associate Dean in 2005.

Associate Professor Angela O'Brien

Deputy Dean, 2008

Angela divides her time between MSGR and the School of Culture & Communication where she is Discipline Chair of Creative Arts. Angela was previously foundation Head of the School of Creative Arts from 2001 to 2004 at the University of Melbourne and Dean of the School of Studies in Creative Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts. She has taught widely in drama, writing and visual arts and been involved in the development of creative arts curriculum at secondary, undergraduate and graduate levels.

Associate Professor David Beckett

Associate Dean, 2008 and 2009

David works from the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (the new name for the Faculty of Education), where he specialises in adults' workplace learning. He publishes on philosophy of education, policy analysis and vocational education. Since 2000, David has held various management roles in Education, centred on international and off-shore activities, and at the moment is Assistant Dean (Research Training). He supervises about fifteen theses, in 2008.

Professor Ron Slocombe

Associate Dean, 2007 and 2008

Ron is Deputy Vice-President of the Academic Board and chair in Veterinary Pathology within the Faculty of Veterinary Science. He teaches undergraduate pathology in the veterinary science program, and participates in the provision of diagnostic and consulting services available through the Veterinary Clinical Centre. His research has focused on topics ranging from the risk factors associated with racing fatalities of Victorian Thoroughbreds, the assessment of novel strategies for the treatment of Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in racehorses, to the responses of abalone to stresses associated with farm production systems in southern Australia.

Associate Professor Mary Wlodek

Associate Dean, 2008 and 2009

Associate Professor Mary Wlodek is Head of the Fetal, Postnatal & Adult Physiology and Disease Laboratory in the Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Health Cluster. Her research interests incorporate diabetes, cardiorenal disease, reproductive functions as well as fetal growth and development.

Kris Day

Acting General Manager