Robin King was elected to the ATSE Fellowship in 2011 and quickly became a central figure in the New South Wales Division and nationally through ATSE’s governance. He has recently served as Secretary of the NSW Division and contributed significant time and expertise to ATSE’s policy Forums including the Digital Futures, Education, Energy and Health Forums, which are working to address Australia’s most urgent challenges.
Right up until his tragic death, Robin was always ready and willing to lend his expertise to ATSE’s work. Robin was most recently involved in the Academy’s work on addressing the engineering skills shortage. While this work continues it would not be where it is without Robin’s input. No matter how busy he was, he was always passionate about his work with ATSE and that passion and expertise in STEM education will be sorely missed. Both Robin and Penny joined numerous ATSE activities and were held dear by so many of the Academy’s Fellows.
In retirement, Robin was also active in the work of the Australian Council of Engineering Deans and the Royal Society of NSW, in which he served as Secretary of the RSNSW and Learned Academies Forum for many years.
Robin was an inspirational leader in Australia’s engineering education sector, having held senior national positions with Engineers Australia, the Australian Council of Engineering Deans, as well as in several universities. Prior to Robin’s retirement, he was the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Division of Information Technology, Engineering, and the Environment at the University of South Australia, a position he held from 1997–2007. Before joining UniSA, he was an Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering at the University of Sydney (1989–1996), a Senior Lecturer at UNSW (1985–1989), and a Lecturer at the University of Southampton (1976–1985) and the University of Technology in Lae, Papua New Guinea (1972–1976).
Both Robin and Penny will be greatly missed by their friends, colleagues and Fellows of ATSE. We extend our sincere condolences to their family.
Robin and Penny are survived by their four children and eight grandchildren, and family in the UK and in Australia.
