Directors

Emeritus Professor Joe Shapter

Chair and Director

Emeritus Professor Joe Shapter received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 1990. He subsequently held a NSERC Fellowship at The University of Western Ontario before moving to Australia in 1996 to take up a position at Flinders University. Joe served as Dean of the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, heading the Flinders involvement in both Microscopy Australia and the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF). He was the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure) at the University of Queensland from 2018 to 2022. He served on the boards of several NCRIS facilities and is now a member of the National Research Instructure Advisory Group.

Adjunct Professor Sach Jayasinghe

FATEM FQA GAICD, Executive Director and Company Secretary

Sach Jayasinghe is the Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF). QCIF provides digital research infrastructure to all Queensland universities and several national clients.

Concurrently Sach has two adjunct academic appointments. In his capacity as Adjunct Professor (Research Infrastructure) for the University of Queensland, he works with partners to uplift the State’s research infrastructure and leverage technology capabilities in establishing new industries such as synthetic biology, clean energy and quantum technologies. As Associate (Research Infrastructure) of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), he looks to collaborate on major national programs such as the Australian Research Data Common’s Planet Research Data Commons.

Previously, Sach was the Director, Research Infrastructure, providing strategic input and overseeing the operations of QUT’s research infrastructure portfolio. Preceding QUT, Sach had several roles at the University of Melbourne. As Director of Research Strategy, on behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), he oversaw the University’s strategic investments in research and innovation and leaves a legacy as the principal architect of the Melbourne Collaborative Research Infrastructure Program.

Andrew Gilbert

MAICD, Director

Andrew is the Chief Executive of Bioplatforms Australia overseeing $500 million Commonwealth Government National Collaborative Research Infrastructure investment in the discovery sciences of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics. With 20 investments across Australia, Andrew has an extensive network of contacts from Commonwealth and State Governments, along with prominent universities, medical research institutes, agricultural research institutes and commercial entities. The network supports 350 full time research infrastructure practitioners, who in turn enable 3000 users per annum across the spectrum of pure research to commercial production.

Andrew is a Council Member of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory Australia and International Advisor of Genomics Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Dr Sarah Flaim

Director

Dr. Sarah Flaim brings over 15 years of experience in the higher education sector, combining expertise in research, operations, clinical trials, and stakeholder engagement. As National Imaging Facility's Chief Operating Officer, she leverages her diverse skill set to enhance the organisation’s strategic direction and success.

Sarah is passionate about values-based leadership of high-performing teams, mentoring staff, and cultivating a positive workplace culture. She excels in enabling large-scale collaborative endeavours and devising pragmatic solutions to operational challenges, maximising opportunities while minimising risk.

Prior to joining NIF, Sarah held several specialist research management roles within the higher education sector, spanning all phases of the research project lifecycle. Prior to moving to Australia in 2009, Sarah was a postdoctoral Junior Research Fellow at Balliol College, University of Oxford, where she conducted interdisciplinary research in computational biology, focusing on the electrophysiology of the mammalian heart. She obtained her PhD from the University of California, San Diego as a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship.

Tracy Baylis

Director

Tracy brings nearly a decade of strategic leadership developing and delivering National Research Infrastructures. As Head of Operations and Strategy at the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN), and formerly as Operations Manager at the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF), Tracy has played a pivotal role in enabling research across a broad spectrum—from urban systems and health sciences to cutting-edge nanotechnology. Her deep expertise bridges digital and instrumental infrastructure, underpinning research addressing some of Australia's most pressing challenges.

Tracy is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of National Research Infrastructure and the skilled workforce that sustains it.

An experienced company director and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Tracy brings strong governance acumen and a commitment to member advocacy. She has held leadership roles across professional membership associations, where her strategic insight and collaborative approach have helped shape sector-wide impact.