Cheryl Jones appointed Dean of Medicine & Health at UNSW Sydney

Professor Jones will commence her role in June after an extensive global search.

UNSW Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs has announced Professor Cheryl Jones as Dean of UNSW Medicine & Health.

An internationally recognised leader in paediatric infectious diseases, Prof. Jones has extensive experience at the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne. She is currently the Head of School and Dean of Sydney Medical School, where she has overseen the successful introduction of the new Sydney Doctor of Medicine program and the rural Dubbo Stream.

Prof. Brungs said Prof. Jones’s appointment reinforced the Faculty of Medicine & Health’s commitment to combine outstanding teaching with cutting-edge research to address major global health challenges. 

“I’m delighted to welcome Prof. Jones to UNSW Sydney. With a distinguished background as a clinician scientist and academic leader, she is ideally suited to lead the faculty of Medicine & Health,” Prof. Brungs said.

“Prof. Jones is UNSW’s first female Dean of Medicine & Health since the faculty’s inception in 1960, also reflecting the University’s broader commitment to advancing equity and diversity, particularly in STEMM.”

“Prof. Jones is a world authority on childhood infectious disease and a key opinion leader in research, research training, clinical practice, and health workforce education. She also has an impressive record of senior leadership or executive roles in multiple national statutory authorities, professional societies, and international research societies and NGOs. Our community will greatly benefit from her broad range of experience. We are very excited to have such an eminent leader join the University.”

Prof. Jones said she was honoured to be joining UNSW as the Dean of Medicine & Health.

“With UNSW’s focus on improving health and eliminating health disparities in Australia and around the world, it’s an exciting time to be joining the faculty of Medicine & Health,” Prof. Jones said.

“I look forward to working with the faculty’s students, researchers, teachers, doctors, and staff as we turn new discoveries into practical solutions like therapies, technologies, and treatments, to address the big health challenges of today.”

Prof. Jones is a successful researcher in emerging infections of the brain and childhood infections, with her research impacting global policy and practice in this area.

She has obtained over $35 million in research funding and published over 170 peer reviewed articles. She was made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health & Medical Sciences (AAHMS) in 2018 and is a Director and Council Member of AAHMS. 

As a highly experienced clinician and Senior Staff Specialist at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Prof. Jones was made a life member of the Australian Society for Infectious Diseases in 2022 for her contribution to Infectious diseases and her roles to the Australian Society of Infectious Diseases (ASID).

From 2019-2023, Prof. Jones served on Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) as a ministerial appointed member, providing expert contributions in response to COVID-19. She has previously chaired the NHMRC Melbourne Academic Health Centre (MACH).

Prof. Jones will commence in her new role on 17 June.

Prof. Brungs acknowledged the work of outgoing Interim Dean of UNSW Medicine & Health, Professor Adrienne Torda, who has led the faculty over the past six months.

“I’m very grateful to Prof. Torda for her exceptional leadership and contributions to UNSW Medicine & Health during this time of transition,” Prof. Brungs said.