UNSW appoints new Dean of Science

Scientia Professor Sven Rogge has been appointed Dean of Science following a lifelong passion for the discipline.

UNSW Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs has announced Scientia Professor Sven Rogge as the new Dean of UNSW Science.

Prof. Rogge is an internationally recognised expert in condensed matter physics and quantum information science. He has held several research and leadership positions at UNSW since joining from Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands in 2011.

Prof. Brungs congratulated Prof. Rogge on his appointment and highlighted his strong track record as a leader in both academic research and administration.

“Prof. Rogge will bring enormous experience to his role as faculty dean. Since joining UNSW, he has successfully steered the School of Physics and the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research portfolio. His research on condensed matter physics, in particular quantum electronics, spans the full funding pipeline from blue sky basic research through to translational applications,” Prof. Brungs said.

“I look forward to working with him as he leads the Science faculty in an exciting time ahead, as innovative technologies and other scientific solutions are developed to address challenges in an uncertain and rapidly changing world.”

Prof. Rogge grew up in Germany and a fascination with science from an early age led him to study Physics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. He then went on to obtain a PhD in Physics from Stanford University in 1997.  He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the President of the Australian Institute of Physics, and a program manager at the Australian Research Council’s Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology.

An experimental physicist, his research focuses on quantum systems in a solid-state environment and their translation to applications in quantum materials and technology. His work on gaining atomistic insight into the interactions of quantum objects, such as atoms and qubits, is a key component in Australia’s world-leading progress in quantum physics.

Prof. Rogge said he was honoured to be appointed Dean of Science.

“UNSW is one of Australia’s leading universities for science education and research. Our staff and students learn and specialise in a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines as they strive to help overcome many of the most pressing challenges facing our world today,” Prof. Rogge said. 

“I look forward to continuing my work on the University leadership team as the Dean of Science. I think the role of the faculty is to educate students in critical thinking and give them a toolbox of analytical skills that will ready them for a diverse and rewarding career. We also have a responsibility to drive research that will guide Australia into a sustainable future with new insights from ageing well to quantum technologies.”

Prof. Rogge will start in his new role on 10 October 2022.

Prof. Brungs acknowledged the work of outgoing Acting Dean Prof. Scott Kable, who has led the faculty over the past six months.

“I am very grateful to Prof. Kable for his leadership and outstanding contributions to UNSW Science and the broader University as acting dean this year,” Prof. Brungs said. “He led the faculty’s transition back to life on campus after the COVID-19 lockdowns and oversaw some outstanding research contributions, in areas such as RNA medicine, quantum computing, sustainable energy, climate change and the response to this year’s floods.”