Professor Alan Pettigrew
Professor Alan Pettigrew is a graduate of the University of Sydney and holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science and Ph.D (1975). Professor Pettigrew was awarded the Colin Dunlop Research Prize and the University Medal in 1972.
From 1975 to 1978 Professor Pettigrew undertook postdoctoral studies in the Department of Physiology at the University of Sydney and at the National Institute for Medical Research in the United Kingdom where he was a Nuffield Foundation Travelling Fellow and Scientist. In 1979 Professor Pettigrew returned to the University of Sydney as a Lecturer in the Department of Physiology. After a series of promotions Professor Pettigrew was appointed Head of Department in 1989. Professor Pettigrew was appointed to the Chair of Veterinary Physiology at the University of Sydney in 1990 and Head of Department in 1992. He also served as Deputy Chair of the Academic Board (1991-1993) and he was also a member of the Board of Directors of Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute from 1992 until 1994.
Throughout his career Professor Pettigrew's research interests focussed on the nervous system. His research included studies on the formation of neuromuscular connections, the physical and neurophysical bases of directional hearing in amphibia and small mammals, structural and functional development of the brainstem auditory pathway in animals, perinatal factors affecting the functional development of the brainstem auditory pathway in preterm and term infants, and development of membrane properties in brainstem neurons.
Professor Pettigrew has been a member of the Australian Physiological and Pharmacological Society, Australian Neuroscience Society, Australian Society for Medical Research and the Australian Perinatal Society.
Professor Pettigrew was appointed as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Biological Sciences) at the University of Queensland in 1993 and in 1997 he became Executive Dean of the new Faculty of Biological and Chemical Science. From 1995 until 1997 Professor Pettigrew was a Board member of UniQuest Ltd and during 1997 he served as a member of the Mater Medical Research Institute Development Council. Professor Pettigrew was appointed as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Planning and Resources) at the University of NSW in 1998.
Professor Pettigrew has had a long association with the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. He served on many committees and review panels prior to becoming a member of the NHMRC Grants Committee (1991 to 1993) and then Chair of the Grants Committee and the Grants Access and Awards Committee from 1994 to 1996. During this period he was also a member of the NHMRC's Medical Research Committee and its Executive Committee. He was a member of the NHMRC's Research Committee from 1997 to 1999. In January 2001 Professor Pettigrew was appointed by the Commonwealth Minister for Health as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council. He served in that role until December 2005.
Professor Pettigrew took up his current appointment as Vice-Chancellor and CEO of the University of New England in February 2006.