16 May 2008

The first-ever Postdoctoral Academic Fellows appointed by the UNSW Faculty of Engineering are looking forward to the opportunities offered by their new positions to build a successful academic career.

Dr Malcolm Ryan, from the School of Computer Science and Engineering, and Dr Tony Granville, from the School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, began their two-year appointments in the new roles this year.

The Postdoctoral Academic Fellow position was created to give PhD graduates the opportunity to establish a research career and gain university teaching experience.

Fellows are required to develop research proposals, apply for grants and publish findings, supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research students and teach, although with a reduced teaching load.

For Dr Ryan, who has been a postdoctoral research fellow at UNSW for the past two years and has been teaching as well, the research and teaching responsibilities of the Postdoctoral Academic Fellowship are an enjoyable mix.

“For my mind (the teaching load) is an advantage. Research is a long-term job without those regular short-term goals – it can be tough at times. Teaching gives you attainable week to week goals. I enjoy having both,” he says.

Dr Ryan teaches game design to fourth-year computer science and media students. His research is in artificial intelligence, in particular on multi-robot path planning programs which will have applications in automated stevedoring at container ports.

Dr Granville, who is originally from Philadelphia in the United States, came to Australia in 2004 to do postdoctorate study. He started looking into an academic career “because I’m loving it out here” and says the fellowship provides a perfect opportunity.

“I have a strong interest in teaching and building up an academic research group,” Dr Granville says.

“Teaching opens you up to meeting students and seeing where the skill sets are. Long term I don’t think I would ever give up teaching”.

Dr Granville’s research is in surface modification of polymers for drug delivery with the UNSW Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design and he says the fellowship requirements will also help with writing more effective grant proposals.

Inaugural Postdoctoral Academic Fellows Tony Granville (left) and Malcolm Ryan.