ACS names Fellows and Honorary Life Members for 2023

ACS has announced four Honorary Life Members (HLMs) and 18 Fellows for 2023.

Dr Rod Dilnutt, Professor Michael Johnson, Dr Ian Oppermann, and Arnold Wong have been named Honorary Life Members:

Dr Rod Dilnutt, Vic

Dr Rod Dilnutt has contributed to ACS as an innovator and one who has taken on newly created roles or committees facing challenging times and led them to stability and success. His great skill is in empowering others and quietly serving ACS himself in a thorough and professional manner. One can discover evidence of Rod’s input to the functioning of ACS across various committees and boards over several decades. He has served in many roles including as the initial Director of the Membership Advisory Board, Chair of the Victorian Branch, Congress member and on Management Committee. His particular interest has been in fostering the engagement of student members and young professional as they begin their ICT careers and was the initiator of the successful Student Supported Membership Scheme.

Professor Michael Johnson, NSW

Professor Michael Johnson has made an outstanding contribution to ACS with gentle good humour over at least two decades leading the provision of academic input that is needed by ACS to set its standards of professionalism and ethics. He has encouraged and led the changes required to keep ACS a modern and relevant professional society for ICT professionals. As Director of the Professional Standards Board he oversaw the changes needed to align the accreditation criteria to evolving technologies. He led the rewriting of the Terms of Reference for the Technical Boards and advised on the decoupling of membership grades from certification. He has served with distinction as Chair of the Disciplinary Committee and been a thoughtful and active participant of Congress, providing a necessary link between academia and business and has been an active participant in the committees of IFIP International Professional Practice Partnership (IP3) on behalf of ACS.

Ian Oppermann, NSW

Dr Ian Oppermann has made an outstanding contribution to ACS as an invaluable champion by consistently providing both his expertise and leadership skills. As ACS President he steered ACS through difficult and challenging times, while at the same time coping with the impacts of the COVID pandemic, both for ACS and in his work as Chief Data Scientist for the NSW government. When Academic Vice President he laid the foundation for reshaping the Technical Boards such that they now provide timely policy advice and education opportunities, especially about emerging technologies. He has represented ACS in Standards Australia committees culminating in the publication of the "Privacy in Data Sharing Framework" in time for this to be of use to practitioners and government alike. His work also strengthened ACS relationships with Government, and encouraged senior IT professionals and industry leaders to work with the ACS.

Arnold Wong, WA

Arnold Wong has contributed to ACS both at the Branch and National level over more than two decades. He is lauded as a branch member; always willing to help, an effective mentor; a long-term Branch Executive member and champion of the West Australian yearly Dennis Moore Distinguished oration. On a national level he has served on Management Committee during difficult and challenging times; 3 years as Vice President (Communities) and for 6 years as National Treasurer. In this latter role he oversaw the onerous process of centralising all of the many ACS bank accounts, together with completing an overhaul of ACS financial processes. Both of these initiatives have played a pivotal role in the organisation’s financial health and significantly improved its risk profile. He has represented the West Australian branch of ACS on Congress with distinction. His long service to ACS has left a lasting and positive impact.

The following Members have been elevated to ACS Fellows:

Mr Geoff Augutis, Qld
Mr Paul Gampe, Qld
Mr Jason Garland, Qld
Mr Paul Herring, Qld
Mr Chris Jeffery, Qld
Prof Alan Liew, Qld
Prof Jie Lu, NSW
Mr Peter Maynard, Qld
Dr Maria Milosavljevic, ACT
Prof Trina Myers, Vic
Prof John O'Callaghan, ACT
Mr Johnny Serrano, Qld
Dr Vikram Sharma, ACT
Ms Marissa Shipley, Qld
Mrs Sharon Singh, Qld
Mr Johnny Smoes, Qld
Prof Dian Tjondronegoro, Qld
Ms Lynn Warneke, Vic