Professor Caroline Baillie has been appointed as UWA's first Chair of Engineering Education. Her most recent position was Professor and Dupont Canada Chair in Engineering Education Research and Development, Faculty of Applied Science, Queens University, Ontario, Canada.

With more than 160 publications in Materials Engineering and Engineering Education including 14 books, she has a distinguished research profile in Engineering and Engineering Education including practice and development, teaching and supervision, science and engineering knowledge development, education and social justice.

Professor Baillie has several theatre productions under her belt as well as a BBC documentary series "Building the Impossible". She is also active through her not-for-profit organisation ‘Waste for Life' which works to create poverty-reducing solutions to environmental issues. Professor Baillie is currently helping cooperatives in Argentina and Lesotho to develop products from the waste plastic and other materials that they scavenge to scrape a living.

The Chair of Engineering Education will play a strategic role in the continued enhancement of the student experience and the development of a sense of community. She will focus on optimising undergraduate professional practicum experiences and the alignment of engineering curriculum to graduate attributes for professional engineers.

"UWA has an excellent engineering curriculum and we are fortunate to have an eminent researcher of this calibre leading future development in this area" Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Robson said. "The Faculty is delighted to welcome Professor Baillie who adds not only experience and expertise, but a range of innovative ideas and diverse skills to our team".

Professor Baillie commences her appointment in June 2009.