11/09/2009  16:30

NICTA congratulates Professor Gernot Heiser on winning the Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Sciences category of the NSW Scientist of the Year Awards.

Professor Heiser heads one of the world’s leading computer operating systems research groups at NICTA. He is also John Lyons Professor at the University of New South Wales’ School of Computer Science and Engineering and Chief Technology Officer of NICTA spin-out company Open Kernel Labs.

 “It’s a great honour to receive this award,” said Professor Heiser. “I’d like to thank Industry and Investment NSW for its vision in establishing these awards, and also my world-class team of staff and students at NICTA and UNSW. Without them I could not have succeeded.”

“Congratulations to Professor Heiser on this wonderful achievement,” said Acting NICTA CEO Dr Phil Robertson. “He is a world-class research talent and I’m delighted he has been recognised by the NSW Government for his contribution to the knowledge economy of his home state. His entrepreneurial approach in creating a new company shows that competitive advantage can be gained through advanced research and development.”

The NSW Scientist of the Year Awards is an initiative of Industry and Investment NSW (formerly the Department of State and Regional Development) through its Office for Science and Medical Research. The awards were established last year to recognise New South Wales’ leading researchers who are doing cutting edge work of economic, health, environmental or technological benefit to the state. The Awards ceremony took place in Sydney last night.

Professor Heiser was nominated for successfully fulfilling his unique vision for embedded systems in Australia and the world.  He pioneered the first-ever operating system that is proven to be functionally correct, and then took his research to market, forming the globally successful Open Kernel Labs venture.

Minister for Science and Medical Research Jodi McKay congratulated all category winners and overall winner Professor Stephen Simpson, from the University of Sydney, who was awarded the prestigious $60,000 NSW Scientist of the Year Award for his leading work in biological studies.

 “The high quality of this year’s award nominees highlights New South Wales’ standing as Australia’s clever State,” the Minister said. “Our scientists are world leaders in their fields and it is important we recognise them and continue to foster and build the sector.”

NICTA’s Chief Technology Officer, Embedded Systems, Dr Chris Nicol, won the Computer Science category of the inaugural NSW Scientist of the Year Awards in 2008.

Document(s): Professor Gernot Heiser wins NSW Scientist of the Year Award for Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Sciences
Contact: Dorothy Kennedy
Phone: +61 2 9376 2098 or +61 488 229 687
Email: dorothy.kennedy@nicta.com.au