New Deans announced

Distinguished Professor Jim Ogloff AM has been appointed in the role of Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Professor James Verdon has been appointed in the role of Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education at Swinburne University of Technology.

Both Professor Ogloff and Professor Verdon have been acting in these roles during a comprehensive internal and external recruitment process.

Dean of the School of Health Sciences

Distinguished Professor Ogloff has more than 35 years’ experience in clinical and academic settings and is the University Distinguished Professor of Forensic Behavioural Science and Director of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne. 

He is also Executive Director of Psychological Services and Research at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare) and a Fellow of the Canadian, American and Australian psychological societies as well as the International Association of Applied Psychology. He has led and received distinguished contribution awards from peak bodies in his field in Australia and internationally.

In 2015, Professor Ogloff was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, for significant service to education and to the law as a forensic psychologist, academic, researcher and practitioner. He has published 18 books and more than 350 articles and chapters and has extensive experience advising governments and leading reviews.

Professor Ogloff brings to the role significant clinical, academic and health administration experience, demonstrating the capability to forge effective relationships across the breadth of the health sector to enhance and expand the school’s education and research programs with a distinctive health innovation and technology focus. He will step down from his role at Forensicare, but will continue to work with them in a more limited advisory capacity. 

Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education

Professor Verdon has been with Swinburne since 1997. During that time, he has been Program Coordinator of VET offerings in Screen and Media, Course Director of the Bachelor of Film and Television, and more recently, Chair of Swinburne’s Department of Film, Games and Animation from 2014-2019 and again from mid-2020 to early 2022.

Professor Verdon has broad experience connecting with industry, government and sector agencies, including being President of the Australian Screen Production Education and Research Association (ASPERA) from 2016-2019. He continues to serve on ASPERA's research committee.

He is also a research team member at Swinburne's Centre for Transformative Media Technologies and chairs Swinburne's Non-Traditional Research Output Committee.

Professor Verdon brings to the role the capability to provide strategic leadership of multi- and cross- disciplinary research, engagement and education programs, essential for the future growth of the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education.

His expertise will drive the School’s connections across the university and externally as well as focus on the ‘people’ aspect of the Horizon 2025 vision of ‘People and technology working together to build a better world’.   

Swinburne’s Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Professor Chris Pilgrim said he was delighted with the new appointments.

“Distinguished Professor Jim Ogloff AM has an extensive and impressive career in clinical and forensic psychology and is a dedicated health researcher and practitioner. Since 2013, Professor Ogloff has been the Director, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne and has demonstrated the excellent capabilities required to lead Swinburne into our next chapter,” Professor Pilgrim said.

“I also extend my congratulations to Professor James Verdon, who has an impressive screen and media research background as well as creative practice that spans moving image for theatre, gallery and museum, broadcast television and experimental film. Professor Verdon has taught screen production and theory at Swinburne since 1997 and is superbly equipped to bring our unique and future-focussed Arts, Media Social Sciences and Education offerings to the world.”

Professor Ogloff said he has a great appreciation of the talent and vision of staff in the School of Health Sciences, which has deepened over the past several months he was acting as Dean. 

“I am honoured to have been appointed as Dean to help lead the health expansion strategy and to realise the goals in the Horizon 2025 strategy. After a long career in academia and mental health, I was initially reluctant to take on the Dean of Health Sciences role. The pandemic has reinforced the importance of health, broadly speaking, and we are in a great position to lead with innovation in the health sciences and mental health areas,” Professor Ogloff said. 

Professor James Verdon said, “I am energised and excited by the opportunity as Dean to lead a School firmly committed to fostering and supporting sustainable, just and creative futures through genuine innovation in our teaching, research and engagement.

“Active collaboration to realise the university’s vision to build a better world has perhaps never been more important for the School than now and I see the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education at the centre of the university’s Horizon 2025 vision.

“I especially look forward to leading and facilitating productive relationships across the breadth of Swinburne, and with established and emerging industry, community and academic partners globally.”

Distinguished Professor Jim Ogloff AM and Professor James Verdon commence their substantive appointments immediately.