Mark Wainwright

Mark Sebastian Wainwright is an Australian chemical engineer and emeritus professor of the University of New South Wales, and institutional leader within the Australian academic and technological sectors. He served as seventh vice chancellor and president of the UNSW from 2004 to 2006. In 2004 he was appointed a member of the Order of Australia for services to chemical engineering as a researcher and academic, and to tertiary education. In 2007 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science by the University of New South Wales. He was born 20 Oct.,1943.

Education

Wainwright obtained BAppSc degrees in Applied Chemistry and in Applied Science from the University of Adelaide/South Australia Institute of Technology in 1966 and 1967, respectively. His postgraduate degrees include MAppSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Adelaide in 1969, PhD in Chemical Engineering from McMaster University in 1974, and a DSc by research from the University of South Australia in 2003.

Wainwright began a teaching career as a tutor demonstrator while being a part-time graduate student at SAIT, and McMaster University. Once a doctor in 1974, he became a faculty member at the University of New South Wales, where he remained continuously until his retirement from the institution in 2006. His career at UNSW included successive positions as lecturer in industrial chemistry at the School of Chemical Technology, associate professor, professor/departmental head of chemical engineering, dean of the faculty of engineering, pro-vice-chancellor, deputy vice chancellor, vice chancellor, and president.
His research fields have included studies on applied catalysis, reaction engineering, mineral processing, adsorption processes in pollution abatement and gas and liquid chromatography. His research papers are often cited by reference books on organic reaction catalysis, solid catalysts, and heterogeneous catalysis.
As an institutional leader, he chaired of the National Computational Infrastructure Advisory Board from 2007 to 2015.

Wainwright's activities in higher education span more than 40 years. Positions he held include:

Chair, Australia-China Council
Director, Astronomy Australia Limited
Member and chair, National Institute for Experimental Arts Advisory Committee
Member of Convenor, Hong Kong Research Assessment Exercise
Founding Chairman, Foundation for Australian Studies in China
Member, ACOLA Working Group on Asian Literacy
Member, Hong Kong University Grants Committee
Chair, TAFE New South Wales Higher Education Governing Council
International Academic Review Panel, Singapore Management University.
Chair, Sydney School of Entrepreneurship Board
Chair, Intersect Australia Limited
Member of International Advisory Board, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Chair, Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre Board
Independent Director, Australia's Academic and Research Network Pty Ltd Board
Works

Some of Wainwright's most cited scientific articles are:

Awards
1987 - Royal Australian Chemical Institute Applied Research Award – Erich Heymann Medal, with D.L. Trimm and N.W. Cant for research into copper catalysts and catalytic processes based on copper
1989 - Royal Australian Chemical Institute R.K. Murphy Medal for applied research in reaction engineering and minerals processing
1995 - Fellowship from the National Institute of Resources and the Environment for Raney Copper-Zinc Methanol Synthesis Research – Japan
1996 - Murray Raney Award of the Organic Reaction Catalysis Society – for Research into Raney Catalysts – Atlanta
2000 - Awarded Centenary Medal for service to Australian society in research policy and management and engineering education
2004 - Awarded Member of the Order of Australia for service to chemical engineering as a researcher and academic, and to tertiary education
2004 - Awarded Doctor of Science by the University of New South Wales
2010 - Honorific naming of UNSW Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre
2012 - Awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Chemical Engineering by Mahanakorn University of Technology, Thailand