A decade of inspiring innovation

veski's 20 innovation fellows brought to Victoria since 2004

Since 10 May 2004, veski has been inspiring innovation across Victoria and delivering prestigious programs and activities to support the development of Victoria and Australia’s knowledge economies.

Through its flagship program, the veski innovation fellowships, veski has brought 20 world-leading scientists and researchers to Victoria to continue their ground-breaking research using Victoria’s state of the art research facilities.

Watch a video with highlights from veski's 10 inspiring years

Remarking on the organisation’s 10 inspiring years, veski chairman Professor Snow Barlow said, “People will continue to drive science and veski’s role is to help Victoria retain its fair share of the world’s best scientific researchers”.

veski chief executive officer Ms Julia L Page said, “From our inaugural innovation fellow, Professor Andrew Holmes AM, President-elect of the Australian Academy of Science, to the most recent addition of Professor Kenneth Crozier, a leading optics researcher, veski has brought specialists from the highest echelons of their respective fields to make their mark in our institutes, universities and medical research centres”.

Complementing veski’s innovation fellowships, which remain the cornerstone of the organisation, veski continues to deliver a range of unique activities and events. Each activity provides support and networking opportunities for the 20 innovation fellows and raises the profile of science and innovation across Victoria.

With the support of the Victorian Government veski has also expanded these activities to growing and developing our own scientists through an inspiring students (& teachers) pilot program, providing an avenue for engaging the education community in the excitement and value of science.

veski is also encouraging industry collaborations, fostering international engagements and bringing together leaders from across Victoria to take real actions in supporting women in science.

Professor Barlow said, “I have had the privilege of working with a world-class board and I am proud of what we have achieved together. All of our achievements are a result of the collaboration of our veski family including innovation fellows and our chief executive officer and the team at veski.” 

"The continued support of government has been one of the pillars of veski’s success. We have been very fortunate to work with three extremely supportive Ministers since veski’s establishment and I thank each of them for making innovation a priority.”

The 10 inspiring years have been marked by a series of events and activities including:

• veski’s 10 year inspiring students (& teachers) symposium @ WEHI
• veski’s 10 year Smart Australia 2030 symposium @ Fed Square

To mark the day veski was launched, the veski board of directors hosted a gala event with the veski family and representatives of Victorian host organisations as well as the scientific, innovation, research government and business communities.

This event also included the unveilling a commemorative veski 10 year publication profiling the professional and personal achievements of the 20 veski innovation fellows.

As veski begins its next decade of inspiring innovation, the veski board will outline its programs and initiatives to support Victorian science, innovation and research in the years ahead.

Ms Page said, “The next ten years for veski will see the continuation of the programs that have already delivered so much success for Victoria. There will also be an increased focus on industry collaboration to bring innovation fellows to Victoria who can develop solutions to address critical problems facing Australian industries. Working together we will support the translation of this research into real world applications that have an immediate impact on society.

Professor Barlow added, “Over the next ten years, we look to support the State of Victoria and the City of Melbourne as they become globally recognised centres of science and innovation, strongly connected around the globe.”

veski: 2004-2014: 10 inspiring years