Leonie Walsh

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Leonie Walsh
Leonie Walsh.jpg
Alma mater Swinburne University

Leonie Walsh FTSE is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences, and was the first Lead Scientist in Victoria, from 2013 to 2016, [1] [2] as well as the inaugural Women in STEMM Ambassador [3] and the first women president of Australasian Industrial Research Group [4] She was the representative for Victoria on the Forum of Australian Chief Scientists. [5] [6] Walsh received an honorary Doctorate (HonDUniv) due to her contributions in leadership to scientific enterprises, innovation and community leadership, from Swinburne University of Technology. [7] [8] Walsh was a judge in the Westpac 100 Women of Influence awards in 2016. [9]

Contents

Early life

Walsh was raised in a rural town and developed an early interest in mathematics and chemistry. [10] She attended Mildura Technical School, where she was encouraged by her chemistry, physics and maths teachers. [11] Walsh was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 1998, and received a bone marrow transplant from her sister, Susan. Leonie joined the Bone Marrow Donor Institute (BMDI) shortly after the bone marrow transplant to provide support back to patients and families in need. After a break from BMDI, due to overseas work commitments, Leonie re-joined the board of the Fight Cancer Foundation (Formerly BMDI). Leonie continued on the board for three years before being appointed as the president and chairman of the Fight Cancer Foundation in early 2015 with a related role on the Board of the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry. [12]

Career

Leonie Walsh is an experienced leader and adviser in technological innovation with a background that spans more than 30 years of experience across a diverse range of industries and applications with companies including Visy, South East Water and Henkel in Victoria and internationally for Dow Chemical.

She was the first Lead Scientist in Victoria from 2013–2016. In this capacity Leonie was a contributing member on the Future Industries Ministerial Advisory Council, provided contributions to the Education State activities and STEM plan via the Tech Schools STEM Future Industries Advisory Panel, represented Victoria on the Forum of Australian Chief Scientists and participated on a range of government and industry advisory committees and funding assessment panels spanning innovation, education, new energy, ICT and advanced manufacturing.

Walsh holds a BSc and an MSc from Swinburne University, an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. Dr Walsh also received an Honorary Doctorate from Swinburne University of Technology for contributions to Science, Innovation and the Community.

Walsh’s most recent focus has been in the renewable energy and Clean Technology sectors with current roles including the Chair of the Board for the Center for New Energy Technologies (C4NET), member of AusNet Services Commercial Energy Services Forum and Board member of the Victorian Cleantech Cluster and Victorian Clean Technology Fund. [13] [14] She has also worked on energy storage and new energy technologies [15] with organisations such as ACOLA, on the "Opportunities of energy storage and deployment" in Australia. [16]

STEMM careers advocacy

Walsh is also an advocate of women in STEM, a mentor for IMNIS, and was an invited guest speaker on leadership in STEM. She has spoken in the media multiple times, advocating the careers of women in technology and science. [17] [18] [19] [20] She has spoken on exploring different science careers in a Changing Science event for Science Week at the University of Melbourne. [21] She is an advocate of mentoring, and attracting and retaining more women in STEMM careers. [22] She also speaks on breaking down stereotypes between science and technology careers across industry and academia. [23]

Awards, honours and recognition

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References

  1. ↑ "Cross-disciplinary skills for a successful career – Postgraduate Futures". Careers with STEM. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  2. ↑ "Intelligent Communities 2017". InnovationsAus.com. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  3. ↑ Australia, Women in STEMM (3 March 2019). "STEMM Profile: Dr Leonie Walsh FTSE | Board Chair, Consultant, Mentor | Director and Founder | Productive Management Solutions | Melbourne | Victoria". Women in STEMM Australia. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "Dr Leonie Walsh | Swinburne stories | Swinburne University | Melbourne". www.swinburne.edu.au. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "IMNIS Case study". IMNIS.
  6. ↑ "Eresearch".
  7. ↑ "IMNIS".
  8. ↑ "Victorian Lead Scientist Leonie Walsh honoured at Swinburne | veski". www.veski.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  9. ↑ "Why Leonie Walsh is well qualified to identify women of influence". Australian Financial Review . 27 June 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  10. ↑ "Scientist Leonie Walsh on taking career risks for personal priorities". Affinity Private Advisors. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  11. ↑ "Why Leonie Walsh is well qualified to identify women of influence". Australian Financial Review. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  12. ↑ "Meet Dr Leonie Walsh | Fight Cancer Foundation". www.fightcancer.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  13. ↑ "Scientist Leonie Walsh on taking career risks for personal priorities". Affinity Private Advisors. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  14. ↑ "Mildura Innovation Awards – Your Judging Panel – Dr Leonie Walsh". www.mildurainnovation.com.au. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  15. ↑ "New Energy Storage" (PDF).
  16. ↑ "ACOLA – energy storage" (PDF).
  17. ↑ "MENTOR – Leonie Walsh – IMNIS" . Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  18. ↑ "Why Leonie Walsh is well qualified to identify women of influence". Australian Financial Review. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  19. ↑ "ANFF".
  20. ↑ "Leonie Walsh's Case for Optimistic Leadership" . Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  21. ↑ "Changing Science: Celebrating women making a difference in STEMM careers". National Science Week. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  22. ↑ "MENTOR – Leonie Walsh – IMNIS" . Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  23. ↑ "Celebrating International Women's Day 2017". www.fightcancer.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  24. ↑ "Women in Sci Aust".
  25. ↑ "Mildura Innovation Awards – Your Judging Panel – Dr Leonie Walsh". www.mildurainnovation.com.au. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  26. ↑ "Celebrating International Women's Day 2017". www.fightcancer.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
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