Professor Menz is an experienced Higher Education leader, with more than a decade of experience in a variety of leadership roles at Flinders University in South Australia. Through roles including Dean, School Biological Sciences (2010-2017) and Dean People and Resources (2017-2021) in the College of Science and Engineering he has developed a deep knowledge and understanding of curriculum design, industrial relations, academic workload and workforce management and planning, change management, business process design, risk management, and learning space design and construction. In January 2022 he commenced as Head, School of Life Sciences at UTS.
Ian’s science research interests lie in the area of protein structure and function. He obtained his PhD from ANU in the mid 1990’s where he investigated and characterised proteins involved in the non-phosphorylating respiratory pathways of plant mitochondria. As the recipient of Human Frontiers Science Program fellowship, he worked with Nobel Laureate, Professor John E. Walker, investigating the structure and function of mitochondrial ATP synthase at the MRC, Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge UK. Whilst at the LMB in became proficient in X-ray crystallography and protein modelling. Through subsequent positions as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Sydney and Lecturer in Biotechnology at Flinders University, he has investigated a diverse range of proteins from a range of organism.
As a passionate tertiary educator Ian continually strives to improve the quality and effectiveness of his teaching through the implementation of evidence based pedagogical innovation. He has authored several papers in this area and in 2007 lead a team that received a Carrick citation for curriculum and pedagogical design.
Ian is committed to systematic change to address inequity that leads to a lack of diversity among individuals participating in STEM education and careers. He has been actively involved in developing and implementing action plans to address gender and cultural diversity using the Athena Swan accreditation frame work.