P005955 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2017-12-12 human Helen Cohn; Ken McInnes updated 2026-01-20 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P005955b.htm person Finkel Alan Simon AC FTSE FAA FAHMS FIEEE HonFIEAust AACR2 17 January 1953 Engineer Chief Scientist Alan Finkel was appointed Chief Scientist in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in January 2016. He has an extensive reputation as an entrepreneur, engineer, educator and philanthropist. As a post-doctoral Fellow at the John Curtin School of Medical Research he designed equipment to support research programs. Realising the commercial possibilities, in 1983 he founded Axon Instruments in California, to make precision scientific instruments used by researchers in the discovery of new medicines. After the company was sold Finkel returned to Australia in 2006 and became involved in a number of enterprises. These include the establishment of the Florey Neurosciences Institutes, educational programs for secondary school science and the training of neuroscientists, electric vehicle infrastructure, and the publication of the magazine Cosmos. He was Chancellor of Monash University from 2008 to 2015 and President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering from 2013 to 2015. 1976 1976 Education - Bachelor of Engineering, (BEng (Hons)), Monash University 1981 1981 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Monash University 1981 1982 Career position - Research Fellow, John Curtis School of Medical Research, Australian National University 1983 2004 Career position - Founder and CEO, Axon Instruments 1984 1987 Career position - Consulting Assistant Professor of Surgery, Stanford University, California 2000 2003 Career position - Adjunct Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland 2000 2003 Career position - Member, Strategic Advisory Committee, John Curtin School of Medical Science, Australian National University 2004 2004 Career position - Founded Cosmos magazine 2004 2005 Career position - Senior Vice-President and Chief Technical Officer, Molecular Devices Corporation (formerly Axon Instruments) 2005 2005 Career position - Member, Clunies Ross Foundation Board of Governors, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering 2005 2005 Award - Clunies Ross National Science and Technology Award for facilitating international neuroscience research, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering 2005 2012 Career position - Chair, Management Committee, Australian Course in Advanced Neuroscience (ACAN) 2006 2006 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) 2006 2007 Career position - Chair, Amalgamation Committee, Florey Neurosciences Institutes 26 Jan 2006 26 Jan 2006 Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - for service to biomedical science, particularly through the design and manufacture of a range of electronic instruments, and to support for medical research and education 2007 2007 Career position - Board Member, Florey Neurosciences Institutes 2008 2015 Career position - Chancellor, Monash University 2010 2015 Career position - Chair, Australian Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) 2012 2013 Career position - Foundation Chair, Steering Committee, 'Securing Australia's Future Project, Australian Council of Learned Academies 2012 2015 Career position - Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stile Education 2013 Career position - Patron, Australian Course in Advanced Neuroscience (ACAN) 2013 2013 Career position - Patron, In2Science School mentoring program, Australian Science Media Centre 2013 2015 Career position - President, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering 2014 2014 Award - Honorary Bragg Member, Royal Institution of Australia 9 Jun 2014 9 Jun 2014 Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - for distinguished service to science and engineering, and to tertiary education administration, as an advocate for the protection of children, and to philanthropy 2015 2015 Award - Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (FIEEE) - for contributions to measurement technology for biomedicine 2015 2015 Award - Mountbatten Medal, Institution of Engineering and Technology 2015 2015 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS) 2016 2016 Award - Honorary Fellow (HonFIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 2016 2016 Award - M A Sargent Medal, Electrical College, Institution of Engineers Australia 2016 2016 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA) 2016 Dec 2020 Career position - Chief Scientist, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet 2018 2018 Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering. Institution of Engineers Australia 2019 2019 Award - David Dewhurst Award for Biochemical Engineering Excellence, Institution of Engineers, Australia 26 Jan 2022 26 Jan 2022 Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - for eminent service to science, to national energy innovation and research infrastructure capability, to climate change and COVID-19 response initiatives, and to science and engineering education Royal Institution of Australia (2009 - )

Honorary Bragg Member 2014

 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1987 - )

Elected Fellow 2006; President 2013 - 2015.

 Monash University (1958 - )

Chancellor 2008 - 2015

 M. A. Sargent Medal, Institution of Engineers, Australia (1989 - )

Awarded the Medal 2016.

 Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal, Institution of Engineers, Australia (1922 - )

Awarded the Medal 2018.

 Chief Scientist of Australia (1989 - )

Chief Scientist 2016 - 2020.

 Clunies Ross National Science and Technology Award, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1991 - 2015)

Received the Award 2005

 Jack Finlay National Award, Institution of Engineering and Technology (Australia) (1961 - )

Awarded Jack Finlay National Award 2000. [By Australasian Region Board, Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE)]

 Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2014 - )

Elected Fellow 2015

 Australian Academy of Science (1954 - )

Elected Fellow 2016

 Institution of Engineers, Australia (1919 - )

Elected Honorary Fellow 2016; Awarded the David Dewhurst Award for Biochemical Engineering Excellence 2019

 Finkel, Elizabeth (Ella) (1956 - )

1982 -

Wikidata

 'Finkel, Alan Simon', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Finkel, Alan Simon Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: Fellows of the Academy Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Fellows of the Academy Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Resource: Fellows of the Academy Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Fellows of the Academy 2024 Edited Book: Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders Engineers Australia Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders Barton, A.C.T. Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 Resource Section: Dr Alan Simon Finkel AO, Companion of the Order of Australia Dr Alan Simon Finkel AO, Companion of the Order of Australia Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet 2022 It's an Honour Australian Awards and Honours Secretariat Journal Article: Australia's top 100 most influential engineers 2014 Kannegieter, Tim Australia's top 100 most influential engineers 2014 Engineers Media 2014 Engineers Australia: Civil Edition 86 6 37-38, 40-71 Journal Article: Australia's top 100 most influential engineers [2015] Kannegieter, Tim Australia's top 100 most influential engineers [2015] Crows Nest, NSW Engineers Media 2015 Engineers Australia: Civil Edition 87 5 39-42, 44-69 Journal Article: Australia's most influential engineers: Top 100 [2009] Georg, Dietrich Australia's most influential engineers: Top 100 [2009] Crows Nest, NSW Engineers Media 2009 Engineers Australia 81 6 30-64