Following an international search, Bond University has appointed Professor Derek Carson from the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), as the new Executive Dean, Faculty of Society & Design.
Professor Carson holds a Chair in Applied Cognitive Psychology and is currently the Dean of School of Media, Culture & Society at UWS.
In his role at UWS, Professor Carson has led and overseen an amalgamation of various schools and departments across four campuses, and grown the Faculty into a cohesive, integrated and financially sustainable academic unit.
Prior to joining UWS, he was the Division Leader of Psychology at Abertay University and he has previously held other academic roles at the University of Nottingham and the University of Stirling.
Professor Carson holds a PhD and Master qualification in psychology and an Honours degree in applied social sciences. His research interests include forensic mental health and both applied and theoretical face recognition.
Professor Carson promotes a translational approach to research, collaborating closely with industrial partners and other stakeholders as well as academic colleagues from other institutions and disciplines. He has been the recipient of funding for his work from The Chief Scientist’s Office, the UK Government, and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research.
Professor Carson said Bond University’s reputation for being progressive and its student-centric philosophy appealed greatly to him.
“At UWS we hold a number of ‘truths’, and our number one truth is that we’re here for our students - which is why Bond’s reputation for providing an outstanding student experience resonated so strongly with me,” Professor Carson said.
“That, combined with the variety of disciplines offered within the Faculty of Society & Design, made the role of Executive Dean an unmissable opportunity.
“I look forward to leveraging the richness of disciplines we have within our Faculty, and working with Bond’s other Faculties, to our advantage.
“When my wife Paula and I visited Australia we fell in love with the Gold Coast and were struck by its natural beauty and by the friendliness of everyone we met.”
Bond University’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford, said Professor Carson’s international academic experience, research expertise and cross-disciplinary approach would add great value to the Faculty of Society & Design.
“Our search for an Executive Dean was highly-competitive and spanned a field of internationals including some sitting Deans,” he said.
“We are very fortunate to have secured Derek for this role, and are confident in his ability to lead the Faculty, in collaboration with the rest of the University, to a very bright future.”
It is anticipated that Professor Carson will assume his role as Executive Dean in the May 2018 semester.
Professor Raoul Mortley will continue in his current position as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Society and Design until then.
Professor Mortley has served Bond with distinction in a career that has spanned over 16 years at the University, including the Foundation Dean of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, a period as Vice Chancellor, and more recently successive terms as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences and subsequently Executive Dean of the Faculty of Society & Design.