The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Performance) provides executive oversight for the institution’s research excellence initiatives, and optimising performance frameworks across the institution. The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Performance) oversees research structures, talent attraction, and the management of strategic investments to ensure the University remains at the forefront of global research impact.
Professor Laura Parry is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Performance). She is an internationally distinguished researcher and academic leader with over three decades of experience in higher education.
Professor Parry has held several significant leadership roles at the University of Adelaide, including Head of the School of Biological Sciences, Interim Executive Dean of Sciences, and Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research). Her tenure has been marked by a focus on improving research success rates and facilitating large-scale funding wins, such as the University's high success rate in ARC Future Fellowships.
Professor Parry's academic roots are deeply tied to the University of Melbourne, where she served as Professor in BioSciences and Associate Dean of Research and Industry for the Faculty of Science between 2015 and 2019.
An award-winning educator, she has received numerous accolades for her contributions to student learning, including the David White Award for Teaching Excellence and multiple "Lecturer of the Year" honors.
An expert in reproductive and vascular biology, Professor Parry is globally recognised for her pioneering work on the hormone relaxin. Her research team has secured more than $11 million in funding from bodies such as the NHMRC, investigating therapeutic treatments for vascular dysfunction during pregnancy, specifically preeclampsia. She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has held prestigious fellowships, including an ARC Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellowship and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship.
Beyond her university roles, Professor Parry contributes to the broader scientific community as a member of the Australian Academy of Science Nancy Millis Medal committee and serves on the board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium. She holds a PhD from the University of Guelph (Canada), an MSc and BSc (Hons) from the University of Bristol (UK), and a Graduate Certificate in University Management from the University of Melbourne.