Emeritus Professor Adrian Kiernander

Appointment citation

Professor Kiernander, BA, MA, PhD (Auckland) joined the University of New England (UNE) in 1993, when he was appointed Professor and Head of the Department of Theatre Studies. Prior to this, he held a number of key academic roles within the disciplines of Theatre Studies, Drama and English at the University of Queensland, Victoria University (Wellington) and the University of Auckland. Over the course of his career, Professor Kiernander’s contribution to the discipline of theatre studies and to the performing arts generally, has been enormous.

During the late 1970s and up to the mid-1980s, Professor Kiernander was very active in New Zealand as both an academic and theatre professional. His positions included those of Tutor and Lecturer, as well as script assessor, producer, arts advisor and actor. Recognition of his outstanding abilities resulted in a twelve-month scholarship from the French Ministry of Exterior Relations to study theatre in France, which included work with the Théâtre du Soleil.

The Bulletin and The Australian, Assistant Director to John Bell (1992) at the Bell Shakespeare Company and an Artistic Director at the 1988 World Expo.

Professor Kiernander’s research outputs range from books to multiple book chapters and journal articles. The scope of his topics ranges from Shakespeare, masculinity and inter-culturalism, to modern French theatre, Australian, New Zealand and regional theatre. Professor Kiernander’s research grant success has been enviable and includes several major ARC Grants as well as a series of grants to support seminal research into the digitisation of resources relating to Australian theatre (AusStage). In this latter endeavour, he has been a true pioneer in the use of digital technology for research in the Arts.

In his teaching, research, supervision, mentorship and social advocacy within the tertiary sector, Professor Kiernander has been generous and encouraging. He has been innovative in unit and course development and instrumental in establishing the Bachelor of Theatre Studies (now Bachelor of Theatre and Performance) and the online Master of Applied Theatre Studies (the only online MA in Theatre Studies in Australia) at UNE. He has led a highly successful series of Shakespeare plays at UNE until 2003 and has been in demand as an external examiner of PhDs, as well as a reviewer of Schools, Departments and programs of Theatre Studies.

The national and international attention that Professor Kiernander has brought to UNE through his publications and professional activities has been outstanding and by continuing an association with the University as an Emeritus Professor, this will continue for years to come.

For further information and a link to Emeritus Professor Kiernander's UNE staff profile page, click here.