Dr Calum Drummond: Group Executive, Manufacturing, Materials and Minerals

Dr Calum Drummond brings a national and global reputation for science excellence, and impact and leadership to CSIRO’s Executive Team.

• 25 January 2011 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Calum Drummond commenced as Chief of CSIRO Industrial Physics in August 2006. This Division merged with CSIRO Manufacturing and Materials Technology in July 2007 and Dr Drummond was appointed Chief of the new Division: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE). In July 2008 CMSE was enhanced by merging with CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology and CSIRO forest and wood products capability.

In December 2010, Dr Drummond was appointed as the new Group Executive for Manufacturing, Materials and Minerals.

Dr Drummond is also:

• Professorial Fellow in Chemistry at The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Adjunct Professor in Chemistry at The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• Adjunct Professor in Chemical Engineering at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
• Visiting Fellow in Applied Mathematics at The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
• on the advisory board of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Special Research Centre in Particulate Fluids Processing at The University of Melbourne
• on the Scientific Advisory Board of CAP-XX Pty Ltd
• Chair of the program advisory committee for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation’s OPAL reactor
• on the Management Committee, ARC Nanotechnology Network
• on the Scientific Advisory Board, Bionic Ear Institute
• on the Advisory Board, Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia
• a Member of the Future Manufacturing Industry Innovation Council (Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
• Chair of the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication Collaboration Committee
• on the Advisory Board, The University of Melbourne Materials Institute.

He holds an ARC Federation Fellowship hosted by CSIRO.

Dr Drummond's research interests are in the area of advanced materials including application to energy storage and biomedical products. He also has a strong interest in the commercialisation of research for Australia's benefit.

Background

Dr Drummond joined CSIRO as a Postdoctoral Fellow in 1987.

In the course of his career, Dr Drummond has directly worked on projects with over 30 companies or industry support agencies to either develop products or improve processes.

Prior to being appointed Chief, Dr Drummond was seconded from CSIRO to be Vice President Research at CAP-XX Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based company that designs and manufactures advanced supercapacitors (energy storage devices enabling the development of next-generation portable electronic devices). 

He was responsible for all research and intellectual property activities and some manufacturing operational activities. In April 2006, CAP-XX listed on the London stock exchange at A$110 million.

Academic qualifications

Dr Drummond has a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours in both Chemistry and Science Education.

He received his Doctorate in Physical Chemistry from The University of Melbourne in 1987. 

Achievements

Dr Drummond has given over 250 seminar, workshop and conference presentations and has authored over 180 publications including:

• four invited book chapters
• over 100 refereed journal papers
• nine patents
• nine conference proceeding papers
• five technical/professional society journal papers
• 54 CSIRO reports.

His scientific papers have received more than 3300 citations, placing him in the top five per cent of chemists/materials scientists internationally by this measure.

Dr Drummond’s research has been recognised through awards including:

• an ARC Federation Fellowship
• an ARC Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship
• the Australian Academy of Science’s RJW Le Fevre Memorial Prize
• the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Rennie Memorial Medal
• a RACI Applied Research Award
• the RACI Industrial Chemistry Division RK Murphy Medal
• a RACI Green Chemistry Challenge Award
• the RACI Physical Chemistry Division Medal
• a CSIRO Medal for Outstanding Research Achievement
• the Soap and Detergent Association (USA) and The American Oil Chemists Society Distinguished Paper Award
• the David Syme Research Prize from The University of Melbourne
• the Grimwade Prize in Industrial Chemistry from The University of Melbourne
• a Rothmans Foundation Fellowship (declined)
• World Economic Forum Global Technology Pioneer (awarded to CAP-XX)
• Frost and Sullivan Excellence in Communication and Information Technologies Award (awarded to CSIRO/CAP-XX).

Dr Drummond is a Fellow of the:

• Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
• Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)
• Vincent Fairfax Ethics in Leadership Program
• Williamson Community Leadership Program.

Dr Drummond is also a member of the:

• International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists
• American Chemical Society
• Materials Research Society (USA)
• Electrochemical Society (USA).

Learn more about CSIRO's work in Manufacturing, materials and minerals group overview.