Leanna Read

Dr Leanna Read is a physiologist, businessperson and was the fourth Chief Scientist of South Australia from 2014 to 2018. She was appointed in August 2014 as successor to Don Bursill and is the first woman to hold the position.[1]

Dr Leanna Read (2017)

Career

Leanna Read is a trained physiologist and has published over 90 scientific papers. Her business experience is focussed on biotechnology and commercialization. Read is a member of South Australia's Economic Development Board and has invested in early-stage life-sciences businesses through her membership of BioAngels. She is a Board Director of Biosensis Pty Ltd. and was the founding Managing Director and CEO of TGR BioSciences (an Adelaide-based biotechnology company) from 2001 to 2012.[2]

Read has received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of South Australia and is also a member of the University's Council. As of 2015 she is the chair of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Cell Therapy Manufacturing and has previously led the CRC for Tissue Growth and Repair, which is regarded as one of the most successful commercially focused CRCs in Australia.[2]

Nuclear industrial development

In 2006, Read served on the Chief Scientist's Expert Panel during the Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy Review (UMPNER) in 2006.[3]

In April 2015, Read was appointed to the Expert Advisory Committee of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission in South Australia.[4] Read is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering,[2] which advocated for nuclear power in Australia in August 2014.[5] Read is also the Chair of the South Australian Science Council. In 2016, she was one of a group of prominent South Australians who signed an open letter encouraging government to continue to explore opportunities in the importation and storage of spent nuclear fuel.[6]

Honors

Read was awarded 2006 South Australian of the Year (Science and Technology) and was the 2011 winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Central Region, Technology category).[2]

References

1. Stone, Kelly (12 August 2014). "Uni SA Council member appointed SA's chief scientist". UniSA News. University of South Australia. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
2. "Chief Scientist". Department of State Development. Government of South Australia. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
3. URANIUM MINING, PROCESSING AND NUCLEAR ENERGY — OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTRALIA?. Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia. 2006. pp. 147–150. ISBN 0-9803115-0-0.
4. Evans, Simon (13 May 2015). "SA sets out agenda for nuclear industry inquiry; expert mix appointed". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
5. "Nuclear energy is an option" (PDF). Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
6. "Open letter calls on SA politicians to keep nuclear waste dump debate alive". ABC News. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2017.