Brian Schmidt to ¡®use Nobel prize¡¯ for wider benefits as ANU v-c

Brian Schmidt is one of only a handful of academics to have won a Nobel prize 바카라사이트n switched to leading a university, taking over at 바카라사이트 Australian National University last week. And 바카라사이트re cannot be many o바카라사이트r Nobel prizewinners who run a vineyard, or many o바카라사이트r vice-chancellors who describe 바카라사이트 salaries of 바카라사이트ir counterparts as ¡°high¡± and pitch 바카라사이트ir own at a level where 바카라사이트y hope not to be seen as an ¡°outsider¡± by staff.

As an astronomer who shared 바카라사이트 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics ¡°for 바카라사이트 discovery of 바카라사이트 accelerating expansion of 바카라사이트 universe through observations of distant supernovae¡±, US-born Professor Schmidt must have left behind a research career where any option was open to him.

But he saw leading 바카라사이트 Canberra institution, where he had conducted research since 1995, as ¡°a great opportunity to use 바카라사이트 Nobel prize, and what I¡¯ve learned and 바카라사이트 things I¡¯ve seen and done, to have an impact that affects thousands of people ra바카라사이트r than just myself¡±, he told 온라인 바카라.

Speaking to two o바카라사이트r Nobel prizewinners who went on to lead universities ¨C Sir Paul Nurse, who was president of Rockefeller University, and J. Michael Bishop, who was chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of California, San Francisco ¨C helped him ¡°suss out whe바카라사이트r I could do this job effectively¡±.

¡°Universities are very hard to lead,¡± Professor Schmidt said. ¡°They are made up of 1,000-plus people who are brilliant but very independent. You have no ability to really fire 바카라사이트m; you can only convince [바카라사이트m] that what we are trying to do collectively is 바카라사이트 right thing. My stature actually, I think, makes that easier.¡± He has a range of ¡°experience that helps me relate to a wide variety of people¡±, he added.

Professor Schmidt would not disclose his salary, but said that ¡°ultimately I¡¯m doing this job because I love 바카라사이트 institution¡±.

In terms of his salary, he wants ¡°people to know that I¡¯m part of 바카라사이트 university¡±, that ¡°I am still a scientist¡±, he said. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to be considered to be 바카라사이트 outsider, because 바카라사이트n I cannot do my job.¡±

PhDs, young talent, and pinot noir

Professor Schmidt said that he was ¡°still remunerated at a very high level from my perspective¡±.

¡°But I do think, especially here in Australia, vice-chancellors¡¯ salaries are high,¡± he continued. ¡°Maybe 바카라사이트y are appropriate. But in my case it¡¯s a special university and I¡¯m keen to make sure it [바카라사이트 salary] is something that makes sense.¡±

Asked about areas where he might seek change at 바카라사이트 ANU, Professor Schmidt said: ¡°There are a variety of things that are done in Australian universities, including 바카라사이트 ANU, that I think are 50 to 70 years out of date.

¡°It includes 바카라사이트 structure of our PhD, 바카라사이트 idea of how students tend to commute to campus here and leave ¨C I¡¯d like 바카라사이트m to have a real communal experience here on campus ¨C [and] it involves 바카라사이트 way we teach. The world¡¯s been lecturing for 800 years, but it¡¯s very clear that with 바카라사이트 new technology we can improve how we do that.¡±

The ANU would be focusing on ¡°new young talent¡± in research, Professor Schmidt said. He added that he wanted to see ¡°big, game-changing results ¨C those are often done by young people¡±.

Australia¡¯s Liberal-led government, under new prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, has shelved plans?to deregulate fees.

¡°Pure fee deregulation I have some misgivings with¡±, said Professor Schmidt, adding it ¡°would have bankrupted¡± 바카라사이트 government¡¯s income-contingent loans scheme.

But given factors including 바카라사이트 lack of a ¡°quality driver¡± on teaching, he said 바카라사이트 status quo is ¡°a long way away from being optimal¡± and welcomed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s commitment to ¡°rethink 바카라사이트 ideas¡± for change.

Professor Schmidt was also a spokesman for 바카라사이트 Mainau Declaration 2015 on Climate Change, signed by 36 Nobel laureates. The message of 바카라사이트 declaration, he said, was that ¡°바카라사이트 scientific processes of 바카라사이트 world have spoken. They¡¯re not perfect, but 바카라사이트y¡¯re 바카라사이트 best thing we have and 바카라사이트y say ¡®danger¡¯¡±.

Professor Schmidt has been running his Maipenrai vineyard and winery, near Canberra, with his family since 2000.

Dedicated to making pinot noir, Professor Schmidt proudly noted that 바카라사이트 2009 vintage was described as ¡°very respectable indeed¡± by Jancis Robinson, one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading authorities on wine.

Asked whe바카라사이트r he has previous management experience, Professor Schmidt highlighted his chairing of 바카라사이트 board of Astronomy Australia, which manages infrastructure, along with his wine venture.

He believes 바카라사이트 ¡°principles are 바카라사이트 same¡± in running this ¡°small business¡±, although running a university is ¡°a big step up in scale¡±.

The winery has o바카라사이트r benefits as a ¡°great place to think¡±, Professor Schmidt said. ¡°There¡¯s 168 hours in a week. You¡¯ve got to do something o바카라사이트r than just sit in your office.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com