Three executives from the National Information and Communication Technologies Australia (NICTA) have been recognised for their excellence in science and technology by wining ATSE (Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering) Clunies Ross Awards, presented in Melbourne.
Bruce Kean, chairman of the ATSE Clunies Ross Foundation said the awardees contributed significantly to the economy by helping to commercialise health, communication and industrial innovations.
“This year’s ATSE Clunies Ross Award winners have made significant and positive impacts on the lives of many Australians and our economy,” he said in a statement.
NICTA CEO Dr David Skellern and Dr Neil Weste both won awards for their work in Radiata Communications in 1997. Dr Skellern’s research, in conjunction with the CSIRO led to the development of wireless LAN chips and the world’s first IEEE 802.11a chipset to be demonstrated by Radiata in September 2000.
NICTA chief technology officer, Dr John Parker was recognised for his contributions to the design of Implant Systems’ Cochlear implant or bionic ear. He worked with the research and development team to develop Cochlear’s Nucleus 24 implant system and Cochlear ‘Freedom’ system.
Director of the NICTA Neville Roach Laboratory, Dr Terry Percival and four other team members from the CSIRO group also won ATSE Clunies Ross Awards. Their work on Wi-Fi technology can be found on wireless devices globally.
The recipients of the 2010 ATSE Clunies-Ross awards are:
- Dr John Boldeman FTSE, Institute of Nuclear Science, University of Sydney and Researcher/ Designer, ANSTO, Sydney
- Dr John Boldeman FTSE, Institute of Nuclear Science, University of Sydney and Researcher/ Designer, ANSTO, Sydney
- Professor Tim St Pierre, School of Physics, University of WA
- Mr Andrew Jessett, CEO, MineWare Pty Ltd, Brisbane
- The Team Behind the ‘WLAN’ Technology That Changed the World: John O’Sullivan, CSIRO; Graham Daniels, CSIRO; Terence Percival, NICTA; Diethelm Ostry, CSIRO and John Deane (formerly CSIRO)
- Dr John Parker FTSE, Chief Technology Officer, Implant Technologies, NICTA, Sydney
- Dr David Skellern FTSE, CEO, National ICT Australia and Dr Neil Weste FTSE Director and Founder, NHEW R&D, Sydney