Reflections from Victorian Chair - December 24

Highlights

Revitalising Branch Activities and SIGs: One of my proudest achievements as Chair was revitalising ACS Victoria’s Branch Forums and SIGs and established successful new SIGs which now host multiple events annually, becoming key knowledge-sharing pillars in our community.

Wrapping Up 2024 and Signing Off: As my term concludes, I reflect on a year of progress under the leadership of President Helen McHugh and CEO Josh Griggs. I'm grateful to the volunteers, staff, and members who supported me, and as I pass the baton to Dolly Brtan, I’m confident ACS Victoria will continue to thrive in 2025 and beyond.

Dear ACS Victoria Members,

As I write this final update in my term as Chair, I reflect on the achievements made in the past three years. 2022 was a time where our community was still recovering from the effects of COVID-19 pandemic and the stringent lockdowns we experienced. Like every other organisation, ACS switched to a virtual model, and we became used to working from home reticent to return to in person work and social gatherings. During this time our Branch forums and SIGs had disbanded, and our Docklands offices had become unfit for purpose.

Our first step was to reinvigorate our Branch activities, and we restored regular Branch Forums on the second Tuesday of each month. Although we had some great speakers, attendance numbers were low and our early attempts at streaming the forums met with mixed success. We persevered, improved our virtual delivery capabilities and online attendance numbers grew with some events attracting over 200 online. Our Branch is now offering multiple events, attendances have been strong, and we are routinely delivering events to cater to in person and virtual attendances.

This paved the way for us to regroup our SIGs. We created Cyber Security, Blockchain, and Data and Analytics SIG’s led by Prof Matt Warren FACS, Dolly Brtan MACS Snr, and Manjusha Bhakta MACS and Joseph Oduwo MACS Snr respectively. Our SIGs are now thriving with the Cyber Security SIG now under the leadership of Stephen Zuluaga MACS Snr with each SIG offering at least four events a year. Building on this success, the BEC added an ESG SIG this year led by Dilan Jayasekera MACS. Without the dedication of these volunteer members these key knowledge-sharing forums would not be possible. Check the events page at acs.org.au for details of upcoming events.

Our Branch has also created a thriving Diversity and inclusion Council led by Dr Ruwangi Fernando MACS. This Council continues to make a huge impact with events focusing on many dimensions of diversity, including Gender, Nuero-diversity, Agism and is particularly active in promoting opportunities for early career women, STEM, and Women of Colour.

We have also refocused on recognition of individuals who have made significant contribution to our tech industry and to ACS.  The Recognition Committee focusses on Fellow nominations, community, and Presidents Awards and following Ian Wells’ FACS retirement, is led by Dr Charlynn Miller FACS, We are particularly proud of Manjusha Bhakta MACS and Nayan Jain MACS who have both received Presidents awards.  We have also focused on cleaning up our Fellows processing that had fallen into disrepair. We are now actively processing nominations and expect to announce several Fellowships early in 2025.

A major achievement has been the creation of the Emerging Professionals Committee (EPC). This was piloted in Victoria in collaboration with Queensland Branch. Commencing with a ‘listening session’ run by our youngest members. Having listened, we built a strategy of engagement with the student and early career community with the aim of making ACS membership a lifelong commitment. Fourteen young professionals answered a call to form the EPC, and elected Hari Viswanathan MACS, Dilan Jayasekera MACS, and Nayan Jain MACS as Chair and Vice Chairs. I am sponsoring a motion at the December MC to create a National EPC to leverage the great success achieved across all Branches. So, a home-grown success has grown into a National program. And we are proud to say that Hari has now been elected Director of the Membership Advisory Board and will sit on Congress.  This is the future!

2024 has seen noteworthy progress under the leadership of our second female President, Helen McHugh MACS Snr, and CEO Josh Griggs MACS Snr. I have proudly represented Victoria on the ACS Management Committee and Congress and will continue to do so in 2025. At the national level, I am proud to have introduced free membership for students and we have engaged over 8,000 new members. In partnership with education institutions, ACS is actively supporting their transition into the workforce as they articulate into professional members.  Our EPC has a big part of this strategy.

As I sign off on my term as Chair, I must thank BEC members and the many volunteers who have actively supported this direction. I also thank ACS staff who have brought these plans to life.  Lastly, I humbly thank all members who gave me their support. There are too many to name however, I have been so grateful to Dr Ash Jones FACS, Adam Clarke MACS, Dr Charlynn Miller FACS, Joseph Oduwo MACS Snr Karl Reed FACS, Manjusha Bhakta MACS, Michael Tulip MACS Snr, for their unwavering support in getting things done.

I am confident that incoming Chair Dolly Brtan MACS Snr will take ACS to bigger and better places. I urge everyone to get behind her as we expand into 2025 from our new home at 555 Collins.

With Regards

Dr Rod Dilnutt FACS CP

Honorary Life Member

Outgoing Chair, ACS Victoria