Page 37 - Luce 2023

C ouncil N ews

Farewell, Prof. Julie Willis (1987) Welcome, Prof. Hugh Williams (1988)

In late 2022 Julie stepped down from her position as the We were delighted to have been able to welcome
representative of the University of Melbourne on the Council Prof. Hugh Williams to the College’s Council in December
of Janet Clarke Hall. The College has been very fortunate 2022. Hugh studied computer science at RMIT University
indeed to benefit from Julie’s expertise, thoughtfulness, from 1988 to 1990, and lived at Janet Clarke Hall for
sincerity, and good judgement during more than eleven years those three years. He feels blessed to have met his best
of her service on Council. friends at JCH, and regularly meets up with local alumni
and occasionally with old friends from JCH who now live
Julie is an architectural historian and academic and is currently overseas.
Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor of Architecture and
Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at Hugh is an advisor, investor, and former technology executive.
the University of Melbourne. She was previously Pro Vice- He has advised investment firms and technology companies
Chancellor (Research Capability) from 2013 to 2016. including Doordash, Ocado, and ASOS. He is the co-founder
of ‘CS in Schools’, a charity that is creating sustainable change
Julie is an authority on the history of Australian architecture in digital technology education in schools. He is also an
1890–1950 and has undertaken significant projects Enterprise Professor at the University of Melbourne Business
researching a number of key areas: the development of School and The University of Melbourne, and an Adjunct
modern hospital architecture in Australia; the importance Professor at RMIT University.
of small public buildings in community and civic identity;
architecture during wartime and its subsequent impact on He was formerly a Vice President at Google, where he led the
practice and production; the embodiment of nationalism and development of Google Maps, and he has also previously held
identity in Australian government architecture; and women in senior roles at eBay, Microsoft, and Tinder. Hugh has a PhD in
Australian architecture. Computer Science from RMIT University and brings a wealth
of experience, energy, and enthusiasm to his role on Council.
The book Women Architects in Australia 1900–1960,
co-authored with Bronwyn Hanna and published in 2002, Outside of work, Hugh used to play the drums in Melbourne
is the first book-length study of women in the Australian Indie band Snout, and is an obsessive fan of the Seattle
architectural profession. Julie is a founding member of Mariners and a 25+ year Richmond Tigers member.
Parlour: women, equity architecture, a research-based
advocacy organisation working for gender equity in Australian
architecture. She was co-editor and major contributor to the
Encyclopedia of Australian Architecture (Cambridge University
Press 2012). Julie is a former editor of Fabrications, the journal
of the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New
Zealand. She is an editorial advisory board member of The
Conversation and for Melbourne University Press.

The Council and all at JCH send our thanks to Julie for her
significant contribution to the College and our warmest good
wishes for her continuing success in the future. We look
forward to catching up at College events in the years ahead.

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