University of Sydney welcomes US Ambassador
The University of Sydney yesterday welcomed Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador to Australia, who met with the Vice-Chancellor and toured the University's campus and hubs of research, including the United States Studies Centre and the University of Sydney Nano Institute.
Ambassador Kennedy was met by members of the University of Sydney’s executive, including Professor Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President, at its iconic Quadrangle building yesterday (1 September).
From left: Vice-President (External Engagement) Kirsten Andrews, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Emma Johnston, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott and Dr Edwin Schlossberg.
“It was a great honour to welcome Ambassador Kennedy, Dr Schlossberg [and Consul General Christine Elder] to our Camperdown/Darlington Campus, and to show them our world-famous Quadrangle and discuss the University of Sydney’s longstanding ties with the US," Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott said.
“The robust relationship between Australia and the US has opened a wealth of extraordinary opportunities for collaboration across teaching, research and industry engagement for our University. It will continue to be a vital partnership as both our countries work to deliver solutions to the great global challenges and deliver new and exciting ideas that will change the world.”
Ties between the US and Australia as well as research connections were a focus today, as the ambassador attended a roundtable at the United States Studies Centre and met with the Centre’s CEO, Dr Michael Green.
“It was a tremendous pleasure to see Ambassador Kennedy again, this time in her role as Ambassador to Australia and welcome her to the Centre,” Dr Green said. “Her appointment is the highest compliment to Australia and means we have an ambassador who will have the ear of the president when we need it most,” Dr Green said.
The University has strategic partnerships with four leading US institutions: Cornell University, Harvard University, the University of California, San and the University of California, Davis. The partnerships aim at building and investing in active, productive collaborations. Joint research initiatives between the two countries include chronic health conditions, bushfire impacts and how misinformation spreads in the areas of diet and health. The ambassador took a tour of Sydney Nano facilities with Director Professor Ben Eggleton, to hear about its breadth of research at the nanoscale.
"It was great to visit one of Australia’s great universities. It’s clear Australia is right at the forefront of groundbreaking research, particularly in nano and quantum technology. The U.S. and Australia will both benefit so much from these technologies so it is exciting to see the collaboration first hand. And the U.S Studies Centre is entering such an important new phase under the leadership of Mike Green. It’s crucial that we have centres of excellence like this to help us understand the new challenges that our alliance must meet," Ambassador Kennedy said.
Ambassador Kennedy is the daughter of former US President John F. Kennedy and was appointed as Ambassador to Australia on 25 July 2022, after having previously served as ambassador to Japan. She has spoken on the joint agenda the United States and Australia have in the region to pursue peace and stability, health, security and economic prosperity.