Ms Janet Dibb-Leigh

Janet Dibb-Leigh (nee Dibb-Smith) began her research management career in 1989 when she switched from being a college Registrar to helping Charles Sturt University establish its first Research & Graduate Studies Office – developing the policies, strategies and management framework to support CSU’s staff and student research. In 1996, she was recruited to the University of Adelaide to lead a newly restructured Research Branch. Her remit has broadly included the oversight of all externally-funded research grant programs, quality assurance, reporting and benchmarking, as well as developing and reforming research policy, strategic planning, corporate systems development, and generally promoting and supporting the university’s research enterprise.

Janet’s particular joy was working closely with leaders of faculties, schools, centres and research clusters to develop strategy and policy, and form partnerships within and outside the university. She was the architect and champion of Adelaide’s Research Cluster strategy which has achieved some notable successes in a short period of time. Janet was active on many university committees (including University Council) and has been an active Mentor of general staff women. She is also active in the wider research community, serving on various government and industry advisory committees, CRC Boards and task forces, and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. During her last 15 months at the University of Adelaide, Janet was Director – Research Quality Framework.

Janet is also founding President of ARMS (the Australasian Research Management Society), serving as President for its first two years, and played a lead role in linking ARMS to its counterpart societies globally by forming the International Network of Research Management Societies. She continues to play an active role in both ARMS and the North American Society of Research Administrators, and is on the Editorial Advisory Board of Research Global (a new international journal promoting professional practice in research management).

Finally, Janet is a proud alumnus of UC Davis and, in her “first life”, spent 10 years in environmental planning and policy with federal and state agencies in the US. She’s the mum of a 21-year-old son (Winston), a gardener, birdwatcher, bicyclist, crossword puzzler and frustrated fisherman.

• Fellow, Australian Institute of Management

• Founding / Past President, Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) (1999-2002)

• Founding Co-convenor, International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) (2003-present)

• Member, INORMS Inaugural International Research Management Congress Steering Committee (2005-06)

• Member, Society of Research Administrators International (SRA) (1998 – present)

• Member, ARMS International Committee (2002-present)

• Member, SRA International Committee (2002-2006)

Fellow, Australian Institute of Management

GDipRecPlng, Canberra CAE (1979)

BSc, University of California, Davis (1977)