Sach Jayasinghe has joined QCIF today as our new Chief Executive Officer.
He succeeds Professor John Bancroft who retired as QCIF’s CEO in June this year.
Sach is perhaps best known as the former Director of Research Infrastructure at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), a role he held for about five years before stepping down in August 2021.
QCIF Chairperson Professor Ian Smith said: “Given his knowledge of the Queensland academic landscape, his extensive networks across government, industry and academia taken together with his deep understanding of research infrastructure and its operations, Sach is a great fit for the organisation.”
As CEO, Sach will steer QCIF further towards becoming a critical partner in positioning Queensland as a leader in, and contributor to, emerging industries and sovereign capabilities.
Sach was attracted to QCIF as it “aligns strongly with my own ethos of collaborative research infrastructure and provides the solid foundation to continue my track record of success in brokering productive partnerships,” he said.
“QCIF embodies the spirit of collaboration, achieving societal outcomes by deploying its digital capabilities and harnessing the collective research strength of its members.
“I look forward to working with the terrific QCIF team and engaging deeply with QCIF’s members and partners to leverage new opportunities.”
As Director of Research Infrastructure at QUT, Sach provided strategic input and oversaw the operations of the university’s research infrastructure, leading several teams encompassing more than 140 technology specialists. The teams with digital capabilities included the Visualisation and Interactive Solutions for Engagement, Digital Observatory, and the Research Engineering Facility. He also represented QUT on behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) on matters pertaining to national and state research infrastructure.
Post-QUT, several QCIF Members secured Sach’s expertise as an independent advisor. He reviewed operational practices and strategic alignment in organisational delivery of research infrastructure capabilities and provided recommendations for enhancement through policy and procedural interventions and targeted investment.
Sach concurrently holds two adjunct academic appointments: one as Adjunct Professor (Research Infrastructure) at The University of Queensland, working with partners to uplift Queensland’s research infrastructure and leverage technology capabilities in establishing new industries, such as synthetic biology and clean energy; the other as Associate (Research Infrastructure) at QUT, leading the Australian Research Data Common’s (ARDC) Australian Digital Observatory platform project.
He is also a co-founder of the Queensland Major Research Infrastructure Alliance, which was established about five years ago to drive key collaborative outcomes such as the state-wide memorandum of understanding for provision of research infrastructure across institutional boundaries.
Before joining QUT, Sach had several roles at the University of Melbourne. On behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), he oversaw strategic investments in research. This included investment in research infrastructure where he developed policies for effective and efficient use of cross-organisational facilities, including careful consideration of the technical expertise that underpin the success of such facilities, embedded in the Melbourne Collaborative Research Infrastructure Program.
QCIF warmly welcomes Sach to the team and looks forward to his stewardship.