Professor Joan Leach will be the next Director of the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) from 1 January 2016, the Dean of the ANU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor Andrew Roberts, announced today.

Professor Leach is currently Deputy Head of the School of Communication and Arts at the University of Queensland, where she is a Reader in Rhetoric and Science Communication. A recognised leader in the science communication academic community, she currently convenes the UQ Science Communication Program and is also serving President of the Australian Science Communicators.

“CPAS has enormous impact and staff members and students drive science engagement in Australia. Professor Stocklmayer is a thought leader - her vision for an independent centre providing direction and a research base for science engagement is serving it well. I am honoured to follow her as Director of CPAS,” Professor Leach said.

The current CPAS Director, Professor Sue Stocklmayer AM, will hand over the reins to Professor Leach after 18 years in the position.

“Joan is the perfect person for the National Centre,” said Professor Stocklmayer. “She was identified through a world-wide search and we are all very excited that she has been appointed as Director. She is a hugely well known and respected figure in the world of science communication.”

The other CPAS staff members, while very sorry to see Professor Stocklmayer leave the role, are delighted that it is Professor Leach who will be filling it.

“As much as none of us wanted to see Sue step down, having Joan in the big chair means CPAS will be passing into excellent hands. We couldn’t have asked for a better person to take the reins,” said the CPAS Deputy Director, Dr Rod Lamberts, on behalf of the staff.

Formal science communication courses and degree programs have been running at the ANU since 1988, after Professor (then Dr) Mike Gore established the first Science Circus as an adjunct to his new science centre, Questacon. The science communication program was at first overseen by the then Dean of Science, Professor Chris Bryant, today an Emeritus member of staff at CPAS. In 1996 Professor Bryant appointed Professor (then Dr) Stocklmayer to further develop the program, and it was she who suggested establishing a Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, which was launched that year.Professor Bryant was its interim director, but stepped aside for Professor Stocklmayer to fill the role in 1998.