15 December 2006
The Director of the Monash University Accident Research Centre, Professor Ian Johnston, will retire at the end of the year.
Professor Johnston, considered by many to be the public face of road safety in Victoria, has more than 30 years' experience in the field and has featured in television commercials in Australia and New Zealand promoting safe driving.
Under his direction, MUARC has consolidated its position as the largest and most influential injury prevention centre in the southern hemisphere. The centre now has some 90 staff and a well-deserved reputation as a research leader and influencer of policy.
Only the third director of the centre in its almost 20-year history, Professor Johnston has also overseen the expansion of its focus to encompass all forms of transport and vehicle safety, as well as emerging injury prevention issues in the home, workplace, and in the community.
One of his major research interests has been how innovation in injury prevention does or does not find its way into public policy and practice. "Research only has value if it influences public debate, policy making and injury prevention practice," said Professor Johnston. "It has been a rare privilege to have a career that contributes to saving lives and reducing the intolerable burden of injury."
The Vice-Chancellor of Monash University, Professor Richard Larkins, said Professor Johnston had made a superb contribution to the university, and to the people of Victoria, Australia and indeed to people in many other parts of the world.
"The pioneering research of MUARC has, amongst other achievements, helped to make Victoria's roads safer and has had a major effect on motor vehicle design," Professor Larkins said. "The university wishes Professor Johnston well in all his future activities."
"We are pleased that in his retirement he will continue with a range of research activities, continue with the supervision of his four doctoral students, act as a mentor for staff in his areas of speciality and hopes to write his book about how road safety works in policy and practice."
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish said that under Professor Johnston's leadership MUARC had made a lasting contribution to road safety and injury prevention in the workplace, home and general community.
"Professor Johnston has been an inspirational leader and has successfully engaged with policy makers both nationally and internationally in government and industry," Professor Cornish said. "It has been a privilege to work with him."
Professor Johnston regularly presents at international conferences and seminars, and has been a willing mentor to younger researchers.
He has been highly sought by Australian state governments and the New Zealand government to discuss road safety policy and infrastructure issues. He has also given unstintingly of his time to assist with knowledge transfer to the developing countries within Australia's region of the world.
The General Manager of Victoria's Transport Accident Commission, Mr David Healy, described Professor Johnston as extremely influential.
"He is a very gifted and persuasive communicator both orally and through his papers and reports," Mr Healy said. "Professor Johnston played a 'starring' role in a TAC Wipe Off 5 television commercial and by so doing, brought his stamp of authority and clarity to an important safety message.
"His influence in helping to shape strategic priorities for road safety investment in the future will be long lasting."
In the 1990s, Professor Johnston was Managing Director of ARRB Transport Research, one of the world's leading providers of value-added research, consultancy and technical services addressing transport related issues.
Before that, he was a researcher and program administrator in road safety with the Federal Government from 1972 to 1979, Chief Scientist (Human Factors) at ARRB from 1979 to 1984 and Director, Road Safety for the Victorian Government from 1984 to 1989.
Professor Johnston is a psychologist with a PhD in human factors. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and Immediate Past-President of the Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia.
He is also a Trustee of the Global Traffic Safety Trust, a small group of safety professionals who donated their time to furthering safety in developing countries.
Professor Ian Johnston is available for interview on (03) 9905 4371 or 0419 350930
A photograph of Professor Johnston can be downloaded from the MUARC website.
For further information, contact Mr John Watts at Monash University Media Unit on +61 3 9905 9201 or 0448 574 148.
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