Australia’s leading minerals research institute is about to enter a new stage of its life with the retirement of the founding director.
Professor Don McKee will step down as director of The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) at the end of the year after six years at the helm.
He will be replaced by Professor Chris Moran, who is the current director of the Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry (CWiMI), one of six centres in the SMI.
Professor McKee said he was delighted to be able to pass on the directorship to such an eminent scientist as Professor Moran.
“In his time at SMI Chris has built CWiMI to a point where it is already providing national leadership in developing water practices and policies within the Australian minerals industry,” Professor McKee said.
“It has been an honour to be involved in defining a vision for SMI such that it has become an acknowledged centre for all issues associated with the sustainable development of mineral resources.”
Professor Moran said he was excited about taking up the SMI leadership.
“In so many aspects of modern industry, sustainability is a key to success,” Professor Moran said.
“The deep technical roots established in the development of the SMI and the ongoing resources industry boom set the stage for a new phase of sustainability thinking and action.
“The industry is ready for integration and there is no other organisation, globally, with such technical credibility that is better positioned to provide the ideas, engineering solutions and world-class students than the SMI.”
The SMI was established in 2001 to expand the University's already enviable reputation, built over 50 years of industry partnerships, in researching and developing new technologies for the sustainable development of mineral resources.
SMI board chairman Nick Stump welcomed the appointment of Professor Moran as the new director and looked forward to where the Institute would go in the years to come.
“Professor Moran is highly suitable for the role of taking the SMI forward into its next stage of development,” Mr Stump said.
UQ Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield thanked Professor McKee for his incredible work in building the profile of the SMI in both the research and mining communities.
“Professor McKee has led the SMI from the drawing board to a position now as one of the major players in mining research and development both here in Australia and internationally,” Professor Greenfield said.
“I am looking forward to working with Professor Moran as the Institute evolves.”
Media inquiries: Professor Chris Moran (07 3346 4004), Professor Don McKee (07 3346 4004) or Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (07 3365 2802 or 0433 364 181).
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