President Adrian acknowledged David Beanland's service above self.
President Adrian welcomed David Beanland and his wife Heather, to the meeting last week on Wednesday 14 December 2022. David, due to health limitations, has not been able to attend Rotary in recent times and has signalled his retirement at the end of this Rotary year.
Some interesting facts about David and his Rotary service.
Professor David George Beanland AO is the Emeritus Professor at RMIT University, Melbourne.
David was re-inducted into our club on 25 November 2009 with the classification UNIVERSITY – RMIT his sponsor was Alex Buchanan after having resigned in the 90’s due to work pressures.
David was born in Yallourn and educated at Box Hill Technical School, and completed an electrical engineering degree in 1959 at the University of Melbourne. Gaining Engineering experience at Government Aircraft Factory and Aeronautical Research Laboratories he later moved to Engineering education. David completed a Masters followed by a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Salford and Harwell Atomic energy Research Laboratories.
He went on to complete 33 years of service at RMIT, filling positions as Dean of Engineering, Associate Director Academic and Director before becoming the Foundation Vice-Chancellor in 1992. He was CEO for 11 years, retiring in 2000.
He was responsible for the creation of the RMIT International University in Vietnam in 2005 and has a library and building which holds his name. Among other extensive achievements, he became an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2001 for "distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or to humanity at large" in education.
In Rotary David served on the Education committee, and, having been a Director of the Xanana Trust was an active member of the East Timor and International Committees. This served his passion for education in developing countries. David was also in the Health & Ageing committee managing the Breathometer project having secured a TAC grant to install units in CBD pubs.
David and Heather have a home on the Peninsula where they annually host Peninsula Group lunches. They have four children and many more grandchildren.
David's contribution both in fellowship and in service has been invaluable and Rotary Melbourne are grateful to have had David's long standing membership. President Adrian wished David well in his Rotary retirement and hoped that he will stay connected to the Club as will we.
