Biotech expert appointed to CSIRO board

Professor Edwina Cornish AO, provost and senior vice-president of Monash University, has been appointed as a member of the CSIRO board for five years. Her appointment was announced last week by Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne, who described her as “a brilliant and dedicated academic and administrator”.

Professor Cornish’s expertise includes large organisation management and development, commercialisation of research and broad knowledge of innovation and higher education research issues. She is an experienced board member, with current board memberships with the Museums Board of Victoria, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay-Monash Research Academy and the ClimateWorks Australia Board.

Professor Cornish also played a key role in building one of Australia’s first biotechnology companies, Florigene, which went on to commercialise the world’s first genetically modified flowers. In 2014 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to higher education, to advances in biotechnology and horticultural genetic modification, and through fostering of partnerships with government, industry and the community.

Pyne said Professor Cornish’s will bring strong business, industry and financial skills to the CSIRO board, with her vast experience in the interface between government, research, science and the higher education sector to be of particular value.

“Professor Cornish’s experience in innovation, collaboration and commercialisation will be of tremendous value to CSIRO as it builds on its strategic goals and forges greater collaboration between science and industry,” he said.

“I warmly congratulate Professor Cornish on her appointment and look forward to working with her in the future.”