December 5, 2025
On 3 December 2025, the University of Queensland (UQ) announced that Emeritus Professor Mary O’Kane AC FRSN FTSE had been appointed as its next Chancellor, commencing her five-year term on 11 July 2026. She is pictured (centre) at the announcement with the UQ Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Terry AC (left) and the outgoing Chancellor, Mr Peter Varghese AO (right).
Professor O’Kane built a distinguished career across higher education, science, engineering, and policy, for which she was honoured as a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2016.
After completing her PhD in physics at the Australian National University, she began her leadership journey as Dean of Information Sciences and Engineering at the University of Canberra (1989–1993). She then became Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Adelaide (1994–1996), before serving as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide from 1996 to 2001.
She then transitioned into public service, being appointed as the inaugural NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer (2008–2018), where she advised on energy, environment, and innovation, and later chaired the NSW Independent Planning Commission (2018–2024). She co-led major inquiries into bushfires (2020) and floods (2022), shaping state resilience strategies.
Nationally, she chaired the landmark Universities Accord Review (2022–2024), which developed major reforms that will reshape the higher education sector. In energy leadership, she has chaired the board of Aurora Energy in Tasmania and currently chairs the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), contributing to national energy security. In 2025, she became Interim Chief Commissioner of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission, from which she will stand down to become the Chancellor of the University of Queensland.
The Council of the Society warmly congratulates Professor O’Kane on this capstone of an illustrious career.
