Dr Alex Zelinsky AO
Chief Defence Scientist, Defence Science and Technology Group, Department of Defence
Ceremony: 7 May 2018, 10:30am - Faculty of Science, Faculty of Health
Speech
Pro Chancellor Robert Kelly; Vice Chancellor and President Attila Brungs; Deputy Vice Chancellor Anne Dwyer; University Secretary Bill Patterson; Professor William Gladstone, Dean of the Faculty of Science; Professor Fiona Brookes, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health; Dan Willis, member of the University Council; Dr Wayne Brookes, member of the Academic Board; staff, friends, family and graduates, good morning. I begin by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional custodians of land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to their Elders past and present.
Let me begin by saying that university graduation is a momentous occasion in a person’s life. I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I say to the graduates, we’re all very proud of you. Well done. So, it’s an honour to speak at today’s ceremony, in a year marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of UTS. Thank you to the University for affording me this privilege. I’ve spent a significant part of my working life in universities, and I personally consider it a career highlight. Today, I’d like to talk to you from three perspectives.
Firstly, this university, UTS; secondly, your bright future careers; and thirdly, the need for continuing to learn. Let me start by talking about your university, UTS. It’s one of Australia’s dynamic and high performing educational institutions. In 2017, the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings rated UTS number 1 in Australia and 15th globally among universities under 50 years old, with indicators linked to industry innovation and academic excellence. In 2015, the Australian Government benchmarked 94 per cent of UTS research at world standard or above in the Excellence of Research for Australia evaluation.
Again, in 2015, UTS was recognised as a world leader in innovative teaching and learning, winning a Wharton QS Stars Reimagine Education Award in Philadelphia. It’s notable that 78 per cent of UTS graduates find full-time work within four months of graduating, and another 15.6 per cent take up further full-time study – an amazing outcome; just about everybody gets to do something else very quickly. These impressive results reflect the diligence and commitment of your academic staff, and the calibre of the students at UTS. You truly are world class.
During your short history, this university has produced graduates who would surely grace any hall of fame, from politics and business to entertainment and the arts. Just to name a few: Tanya Plibersek, Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party. Morris Iemma, former Premier of NSW. Nikki Gemmell, bestselling author. Aiden Ridgeway, former Indigenous Democrats senator. Margaret Simmons, Walleye-winning journalist and author. Hugh Jackman, Hollywood superstar, and Anh Do, comedian and artist. So, it’s clear that choosing UTS to complete your education – you’ve made a wise choice.
I’d like to now move to my second point, advice about future careers. It seems today that there’s an expectation that young people should know where they’re headed and what they should do with their lives. I like to quote Louis Carroll, who says in Alice in Wonderland, ‘If you don’t where you’re going, any road will take you there.’ I’m sometime asked about my own journey – did you know you’d become a robotics researcher, start your own company and become a chief defence scientist? And the answer is a resounding no. At graduation, I didn’t know where I wanted to end up. Indeed, my hopes didn’t extend much beyond finding a full-time job and a decent income. Today, I say to you this: there’s nothing wrong at all in dreaming and believing that you can be masters of the universe. Start believing and you might achieve great things.
In the 1980s, about the time UTS was established, there was a popular TV series on space exploration called Star Trek. A surprising number of fanciful ideas from that series are now part of everyday life reality, such as big TV screens, cell phones and tablet computers. We’re still waiting for beam me up Scottie, but I mention Star Trek because it tells what we imagine we can make happen, quite possibly much less than 50 years. Having made the wise choice to study here at UTS in the Asia Pacific region, you’re connected by the internet to the global hub for innovation for the 21st century. Those of you graduating today come from 12 different countries besides Australia. It’s a tribute to the international standing of UTS that it can attract students from all parts of the world. For UTS graduates, no matter where you come from, the world is your oyster. The global economy enables companies to hire the best people from anywhere around the world. The market for talent, ideas and capital is a global one. These days, talented people move between organisations, not just inside them.
In 1988, when your university was established, Facebook did not exist. Today, it’s a multi-billion-dollar company started by Mark Zuckerberg in a Harvard dormitory, as recent as 2004. Working with globally-relevant qualifications in the most dynamic part of the world that is unlimited in its potential is a tremendous opportunity. The question is always: what should you do? In my opinion, it’s all about passion and imagination. Think about what you really want to do. For example, do you want to be an entrepreneur or a professional expert? Taking advantage of the opportunities to make good choices, you can show your value by doing something different. I remember taking the risk some 20 years ago to go and work in Japan for three years instead of going to the USA or Europe. In Japan, I learnt not just the obvious things about, but also the less tangible things, such as teamwork and collaboration, and not to mention an appreciation for Asian culture, including meeting my wife. One of the biggest lessons I learned is that Australian ideas, technology and people are just as good as anywhere else in the world.
In 2000, my students and I founded the robotics company Seeing Machines, which is now a global leader in its field. Challenge yourselves and think about starting your own ventures. Will one of our graduates here start the next Facebook? I say why not? Dare to dream, and with some hard work, your dreams can come true. This takes me to my third and final point: taking a continual learning approach to deal with the uncertainties of life. One of the most challenging aspects of almost all university degrees offered today is that rapid advances in technology will mean much of what you have learnt will become obsolete within possibly five years.
The biggest lesson we learn from university is learning to learn. Continual learning and education will be key to your future successes. You can continue to learn by personal study through books or the internet, doing further study here at UTS or at another university in the city where you begin your careers. Learning can also mean living in foreign countries for extended periods.
Take advantage of these opportunities as you find them. In today’s ceremony, we have graduates not just from Australia but from around the world. Let me list them: China, India, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, USA, Vietnam. I strongly recommend that you consider using this diverse international group of classmates to build and maintain a strong professional network. This network will support you in many ways, including career development, sources of knowledge and expertise, and often enduring friendships. One of the best ways to build relationships and maintain contacts is to join your university’s alumni society. To conclude: I have no doubt in the coming years we’ll be hearing and reading about the successes of the men and women graduating here today. You’ve done the hard work and you’ve earned the qualifications to set you on the path to success. Once again thank you for the opportunity to speak to you, congratulations and good luck.
About the Speaker
Alex is the Chief Defence Scientist of Australia, a role he has held since March 2012. He leads the Defence Science and Technology Group within the Department of Defence, the Australian Government’s lead agency responsible for applying science and technology to safeguard Australia.
Prior to joining the Department of Defence, Alex was Group Executive for Information Sciences at the Commonwealth Science, Industry & Research Organisation (CSIRO). He was also Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Seeing Machines, a high-technology company developing computer vision systems which is now listed on the London Stock Exchange.
In 2002, Alex was awarded the Australian Eureka Science Prize, and in 2013 he was awarded the Pearcey Medal, the premier prize for lifetime achievement in the information and communication technology industry. In 2017 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of ‘distinguished service to defence science and technology, to systems engineering, and to education as an academic and researcher’.
Alex is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, the Institute of Engineers Australia, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Alex graduated with a Bachelor of Mathematic Sciences (Honours) and has a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wollongong. In 2010 the University of Wollongong awarded Alex an Honorary Doctorate of Science. He also holds a Graduate Diploma for the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and completed the Advanced Management Program from Harvard University.
