NICTA

A new research laboratory head has been appointed at the Canberra Research Laboratory of Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research, NICTA.

Dr David Everitt has over two decades of extensive research and research management experience. He recently held the position of Chair of Internetworking of the School of Information Technologies at the University of Sydney.

He will take up the position of Canberra Research Laboratory Director from 16 July 2007.

Current Canberra Laboratory head, Dr Terry Caelli, stepped down from the position at the end of June 2007. He will continue to work with NICTA in a research leadership role.

“Terry has done an excellent job in the Canberra laboratory, and we are pleased that he will continue to apply his research strengths within the organisation,” NICTA Managing Laboratory Director Dr Terry Percival said.

Dr Caelli joined NICTA in July 2004. In February 2006, he took on the role of Canberra Research Laboratory Director and has built a strong team culture in the Laboratory, Dr Percival said.

Dr Everitt received his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Queensland. He has worked at British Telecom Research Laboratories as an Executive Engineer and as a Principal Engineer in the Network Analysis Section at Telecom Australia Research Laboratories.

While at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at The University of Melbourne he held the position of Associate Professor from 1993 to 2000. At Swinburne University of Technology he established and developed the Centre for Convergent Technologies.

Dr Everitt's research interests are in performance engineering for communication networks, especially with regards to wireless networks, local area networks and all-optical networks

“I am excited to be joining NICTA as the Canberra Release Lab prepares for a move into new facilities which will see NICTA become the founding member of Canberra’s new Knowledge Precinct,” Dr Everitt said. “NICTA is undertaking important use-inspired basic research that will make a difference and contribute to Australia’s ICT industry.”

The new building the Canberra Laboratory will move into in September will bring together NICTA’s three offices in Canberra, housing the current 165 staff and students and allowing expansion up to 220 people.

The A-grade 4-star environmentally-friendly building on London Circuit, adjacent to The Australian National University (ANU), is set to become the hub of innovative ICT activity in the ACT. It will include a cluster of ICT companies centred on NICTA’s research in the ACT.

 “NICTA’s new laboratory in West Civic is an important piece of the West City knowledge precinct that is forming around ANU Exchange,” NICTA Chairman Neville Stevens said.

Mr Stevens said the ACT Government’s announcement in its recent Budget to provide an extra $6 million over five years to NICTA to support the organisation’s continued development, to build greater innovation capacity in the Territory, and to support Canberra’s growing ICT sector, was a welcome sign of support.

“The announcement in the ACT Government’s 2007-08 Budget enables NICTA to consolidate the inspiring research produced by the extraordinary researchers at NICTA’s facility in Canberra,” Mr Stevens said.

The ACT government, in addition to the Australian National University, the NSW Government and the University of NSW, is a foundation member of NICTA and has played an integral part in building NICTA into a pre-eminent ICT research institute.

This second round of funding builds on the $20 million the ACT Government has already invested in NICTA and includes an $800,000 annual grant, and up to $400,000 per year in payroll tax waivers over five years.

About NICTA

NICTA is a national research institute with a charter to build Australia’s pre-eminent Centre of Excellence for information and communications technology (ICT). NICTA is building capabilities in ICT research, research training and commercialisation in the ICT sector for the generation of national benefit.

NICTA is funded by the Australian Government as represented by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and the Australian Research Council through Backing Australia’s Ability and the ICT Centre of Excellence program

NICTA was established and is supported by its members: The Australian Capital Territory Government; The Australian National University; NSW Department of State and Regional Development; and The University of New South Wales. NICTA is also supported by its partners: The University of Sydney; University of Melbourne; the Victorian Government; the Queensland Government; Griffith University; Queensland University of Technology; and The University of Queensland.