Brigid Heywood

Brigid R. Heywood,[1] born 1956 or 1957,[2] is a British/Australian academic and biological scientist.[3] She was Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England (UNE) in Australia from 2019 until she resigned after criminal charges were laid against her in 2022.[2]

Brigid Heywood
BornKingston upon Hull (Kingdom of Great Britain) Edit this on Wikidata
Alma mater
Academic career
Institutions
ThesisA study of the ultrastructural localization of calcium in the developing odontoblasts of the rat incisor

Early life and education

Heywood is a native of Hull in Northern England.[4][5] Her father gave her a microscope at age 10.[6] Early scholarly inspiration came from chemist Robert Williams, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Oxford.[6] In 1979, Heywood earned a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biological Sciences from the University of Manchester[7] and a PhD focused on Biomineralisation[8] from the University of Liverpool in 1984.[9]

Academic career

Although she did not have a chemistry degree, Heywood was appointed a professor of chemistry on the strength of her research credentials in 1996 to a personal Chair in Inorganic Materials Chemistry at Keele University in Staffordshire, United Kingdom while in her early thirties.[3][5][10][11] She held academic leadership positions as Head of the Chemistry Department (1997–99), Head of the School of Chemistry and Physics (1999-02) and Director of the Office of Research and Enterprise at Keele University from 2003–2005.[12]

She was then appointed Professor of Chemistry at The Open University from 2005-2011.[10] Heywood served as Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Massey University, New Zealand in 2011,[13][12] and later Assistant Vice-Chancellor Research, Academic and Enterprise from 2013–2015. She was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Tasmania[14] prior to her appointment in 2019 as the 14th Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England (UNE), Australia.[15][16][17][18] The third woman in this role, following Ingrid Moses (1997–2005) and Annabelle Duncan (2014–2019),[19] However, UNE accepted her resignation in August 2022 after she was formally charged with allegedly assaulting a teenage schoolgirl at a club in Armidale on 8 March 2022.[20][21][2]

Scholarly contribution

The Guardian newspaper summarises her substantive scholarly focus and contribution as follows: "her research career developed out of the discipline transition from applied biological sciences to materials chemistry fostered by an initial interest in the controlled growth of inorganic crystals in biological systems, biomineralisation. Subsequently, the application of crystal science to issues ranging from normal and dystrophic mineralisation processes, structure-function relationships in inorganic materials, the development of novel strategies to control crystal formation and the formation of novel, functional inorganic-organic hybrids for drug delivery have evolved as key research topics within her multidisciplinary research programme".[10]

In March 2021, Heywood had 72 documents listed in Scopus, with an h index of 33 and 5273 citations.[22]

Selected publications

Statutory and board appointments

In 2020, Heywood was appointed to the New South Wales (NSW) Innovation and Productivity Council of the NSW Treasury[23] This appointment was made by the Governor of NSW for a three-year term.[23]

On 28 September 2021, she was appointed as a member of the Risk & Audit Committee of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the home of Australia’s most significant landmark and national infrastructure for research. Heywood's term is scheduled to conclude on 27 September 2025.[7]

Personal life

In 2020, it was reported that Heywood "and her husband enjoy living in New Zealand (where they still own a house) and Australia"; they are often visited by extended family members.[3][24]

At Armidale Local Court on 26 September 2022, a not guilty plea was entered on behalf of Heywood to charges relating to "common assault and offensive behaviour near a public place or school".[2] In New South Wales, two years' imprisonment and/or a $5,500 fine is the maximum penalty for common assault.[25] The next scheduled court date was 14 November.[25] Heywood did not appear, so the matter was adjourned until 4 July 2023 for a three-day hearing,[26][27][28] which Heywood attended and pleaded not guilty. The case was adjourned until 14 July, when Heywood's lawyer was scheduled to appear via video link, to determine whether a further hearing is necessary.[29]

References

  1. "Author: Heywood, BR (Professor Brigid Heywood)".
  2. https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/crime/university-of-new-england-vicechancellor-brigid-heywood-charged-with-teen-assault/news-story/11efca6fb8c8040fd8c01127a017c53d
  3. "'Only girl standing' has no time for quotas ← SIAN POWELL".
  4. "Leadership Matters with Brigid Heywood".
  5. Powell, Sian (31 March 2020). "University of New English vice-chancellor Brigid Heywood has forged her own path". www.theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  6. Fuller, Nicholas (6 September 2019). "UNE vice-chancellor Brigid Heywood discusses her career in science and academe". The Armidale Express. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  7. "Professor Brigid Heywood | ANSTO".
  8. Heywood, B. R. (1984). A study of the ultrastructural localization of calcium in the developing odontoblasts of the rat incisor (Ph.D. thesis). University of Liverpool.
  9. "Professor Brigid Heywood | ANSTO". www.ansto.gov.au. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  10. The Guardian (12 April 2010). "Edgeless University – at the table – Brigid Heywood". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 October 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  11. "Innovation Nation: an agenda rich with opportunity". Inspiring Tasmania. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  12. Fuller, Nicholas (6 September 2019). "Science and serendipity: UNE vice-chancellor Brigid Heywood's journey". The Armidale Express. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  13. Massey University (1 February 2011). "New research head welcomed – Massey University". www.massey.ac.nz. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  14. Australasian Research Management Society. "The Australasian Research Management Society 2018 Conference Keynote Speakers – Professor Brigid Heywood". Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  15. University of New England (18 April 2019). "Professor Brigid Heywood appointed as next Vice-Chancellor of UNE". www.une.edu.au. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  16. Fuller, Nicholas (28 December 2019). "2019 in review: Vice-Chancellor Brigid Heywood (UNE)". The Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  17. Fuller, Nicholas (4 September 2019). "Fresh perspective for vice chancellor". The Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  18. University of New England. "UNE Executive Vice-Chancellor and CEO". www.une.edu.au. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  19. University of New England. "UNE Vice Chancellors — Past and Present". www.une.edu.au. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  20. "University of New England vice-chancellor Brigid Heywood charged with teen assault".
  21. Alexander, Daniella White, Harriet (5 August 2022). "University of New England vice chancellor resigns after schoolgirl assault charge". The Sydney Morning Herald.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. Scopus (8 March 2021). "Brigid Heywood Scopus Author Page – Scopus identifier 7004824069". Scopus® Elsevier. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  23. New South Wales Government – NSW Treasury (4 February 2021). "Our members – NSW Innovation and Productivity Council". www.treasury.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  24. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/university-of-new-english-vicechancellor-brigid-heywood-forged-her-own-path/news-story/8843944fb502b81e760e7d5a524144df
  25. "Former University of New England vice-chancellor pleads not guilty to assault charge". the Guardian. 26 September 2022.
  26. "Former university vice chancellor not in court as assault case adjourned". The Armidale Express. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  27. "Date set for former vice chancellor's assault hearing". The Armidale Express. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  28. Burge, Michael (5 July 2023). "Magistrate in assault case against former University of New England vice-chancellor showed 'lack of objectivity', court told". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  29. "Brigid Heywood's three day hearing wraps up". NBN News. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
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