Director's Message - 2017

Published in the Research School of Physics Event Horizon
Vol43 Issue1 23–27 January 2017

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back and I hope you had a pleasant and relaxing break.  I’ve returned refreshed and excited about the prospects for 2017. Last year saw some overstanding research successes and I’m certain this year will be as rich. 

Shortly we will move into the largest renovation and building program the School has seen for over 60 years. Our approach to this program has seen a huge contribution from all parts of the School community over the past year and a half, and brings the considerable challenge of designing a teaching and research environment that will function for the next 30 years and beyond.  I’m greatly appreciative of everyone’s efforts so far, and thank you in advance for your patience as we work though the disruptions this major program will bring.  I met with the architects yesterday and I can see your contributions taking form.  We still have much more to do, so please continue to share your thoughts as we work towards the end of our Preliminary Sketch Plans in the next few months.

To kick the year off I hope you’ll join in our VC’s inaugural State of the University Address at Llewellyn Hall on Thursday 9 February at 11.30am. Brian will be launching ANU’s new Strategic Plan, a document that will help re-establish a unifying culture across campus.  I feel it’s a plan that talks to each of us directly, and aims to reaffirm our place as the Australia’s National University.  Building on the tenets this plan I will be establishing a new RSPE initiative, Frontiers, a project I mentioned briefly at the last School Forum.  Frontiers will draw together a few key internationally-recognised research themes which operate across multiple Departments.  We will discuss this initiative in detail at the next Forum.

Once again, welcome back and I wish you every success for 2017.

Best regards,

Tim