Merlin Crossley appointed Chair of The Conversation Media Group

Professor Merlin Crossley AM has been appointed chair of The Conversation Media Group Board. Professor Crossley is a molecular biologist and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) Academic Quality at UNSW Sydney, having previously served as DVC Education, and as Dean of Science.

Professor Crossley replaces outgoing Chair, Professor Mark Scott AO, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney.

Professor Crossley has served on the Trust of the Australian Museum and the Board of the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. He has also held roles as Chair of UNSW Press, Deputy Chair of the Australian Science Media Centre, member of the Editorial Board of BioEssays, and Honorary Associate at the Australia Museum.

He also serves as a member of the Ethics Committee of Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, the Scientific Advisory Board of the Australian Sickle Cell Advocacy group, and on the Board of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. He has been Chair of the Editorial Board of The Conversation since 2019.

Professor Crossley said:

All our decisions and choices are better when they are informed by the latest knowledge. The Conversation exists to ensure that the knowledge being accumulated at universities is available to all.

The Conversation’s CEO Lisa Watts said she was delighted to have Professor Crossley step into this role. She thanked outgoing chair, Professor Mark Scott, for his stewardship of the TCMG Board and vital contribution to international governance at The Conversation.

Watts said:

We are grateful for Mark’s commitment to advancing The Conversation to where it is today, and I thank him for his guidance and leadership.

It’s wonderful to have Merlin take the role of chair of the board. He has been a thoughtful and energetic supporter of the project as a director and as chair of our editorial board and will make an important contribution leading what is now the world’s leading publisher of evidence-based news and analysis.