Emeritus Professors

Emeritus Professor Christopher Wallace*

BSc PhD Syd
Professor of Computer Science (1 July 1968 – 31 December 1996)
Conferred 1 January 1997

Emeritus Professor Wallace was the Foundation Chair of Information Science at Monash University in 1968 and became Professor Emeritus in 1996.

A pioneering figure in computer science, he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society in 1995 in recognition of his significant contributions to the field. He is best known for developing the minimum message length principle, a Bayesian information-theoretic framework with lasting influence in statistics, econometrics, machine learning, inductive inference and knowledge discovery.

His innovations in computer architecture include the development of the Wallace tree binary multiplier in 1964, which significantly improved digital circuit efficiency. He also played a key role in the design of computer operating systems, helped establish one of the world's first Local Area Networks in the mid-1960s, and created a suite of random number generators that are still in use today.

Emeritus Professor Wallace’s impact extended well beyond computing. In physics and philosophy, he proposed a theory that entropy is not the arrow of time, challenging prevailing interpretations in thermodynamics. His contributions to mathematical logic include introducing the concept of universality probability.

Earlier in his career, he designed a refrigeration system in the 1950s that remained in use decades later, and built hardware to detect and count cosmic rays, reflecting his creative approach to experimental science.

Emeritus Professor Wallace earned his PhD in physics from the University of Sydney in 1959.

Emeritus Professor David Arnott

BEc (Hons) N'castle MBusSys
Chair of Information Systems (2000 – 2011)
Conferred 1 January 2012

Emeritus Professor David Arnott was a long-serving academic in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University and was conferred the title of Emeritus Professor in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of decision support systems.

A leading researcher in personal decision support systems, business intelligence and IT governance, Emeritus Professor Arnott has authored more than 70 scientific papers. His work has been published in top-tier journals including the European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, Decision Support Systems, and the Journal of Information Technology, helping shape academic and industry thinking in decision support.

Emeritus Professor Donald Schauder*

BA Rhodes MA Sheff Med PhD Melb
Professor of Information Management (1 January 1998 – 30 November 2006)
Professor of Librarianship, Archives & Records (16 August 1996 – 31 December 1997)
Conferred 1 January 2007

Emeritus Professor Schauder joined Monash University in 1996 as Professor of Librarianship, Archives and Records. He later served as Professor of Information Management (1998–2006) and Associate Dean (Research) (2002– 2004) in the Faculty of Information Technology. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field, he was appointed Emeritus Professor in 2007 and awarded a Fellowship of the Australian Library and Information Association the same year. His career was distinguished by a steadfast commitment to improving information access and promoting social equity through technology.

During his time at Monash, Emeritus Professor Schauder led commissioned research into knowledge management for the Olympic movement and made significant contributions to library and information policy through advisory roles with the Government of Victoria. He was also part of the Australian Government delegation to the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society in 2005. One of his most impactful achievements at Monash was founding and chairing the Centre for Community Networking Research (CCNR), which brought together academic research and community digital inclusion efforts. The centre was recognised with a Monash Industry Engagement Award in 2006.

Before joining Monash, he was already widely respected for his leadership and innovation in information services. He co-founded Informit Electronic Publishing while serving as Head of the RMIT Library, one of Australia’s earliest academic electronic publishing ventures, which later became RMIT Publishing. He also co-created VICNET, a major collaboration with the State Library of Victoria that provided internet access, digital literacy training, and publishing tools for public and community organisations. Both initiatives were highly influential in shaping Victorian government policy and advancing digital inclusion in the 1990s.

Emeritus Professor Schauder held several senior leadership positions prior to his time at Monash, including University Librarian at RMIT, Institute Librarian at Chisholm Institute of Technology, and Chief Librarian at Prahran College of Advanced Education. Earlier in his career, he served as Director of the South African Library for the Blind, where he began his lifelong advocacy for equitable access to information. He also worked as a scientific officer with the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, contributing to early applications of computer technology in information services.

He was deeply engaged in national professional leadership, serving on the National Library of Australia’s Advisory Committee on Library Services to People with Disabilities, the Braille and Talking Book Library, LISAD (the Advisory Committee on Library Services to People with Disabilities), and the Libraries Board of Victoria. He also played a key role in tertiary education quality as a member of the Victorian Ministry of Education’s accreditation panels for private higher education providers. Additionally, he co-founded UltiBASE, a national clearinghouse for university learning and teaching in business, art, society, and education.

He completed a Bachelor of Arts at Rhodes University in 1968, followed by a Diploma in Librarianship in 1970. From 1969 to 1972, he undertook an MA in Librarianship at the University of Sheffield, focusing his thesis on comparative policies for libraries serving the blind. He later earned a Master of Education in Higher Education in 1987 and a PhD in 1994 from the University of Melbourne, where his doctoral thesis explored academic attitudes toward electronic publishing and the scholarly communication industry.

Emeritus Professor John Crossley

MA DPhil Oxon
Professor of Pure Mathematics (13 May 1969 – 31 December 2002)
Conferred 1 January 2007

Emeritus Professor Crossley joined Monash University in 1968 following a visiting lectureship and was subsequently appointed to a Chair in Pure Mathematics. As of 2010, he holds the title of Emeritus Professor of Logic and remains an active contributor to the Faculty of Information Technology.

A prolific author, Emeritus Professor Crossley has written extensively in the fields of logic, mathematics and computer science. He is best known as the lead author of ‘What is Mathematical Logic?’, a widely read book co-written with several of his students, which played a key role in making mathematical logic more accessible to general audiences.

Before his time at Monash, Emeritus Professor Crossley was the first university lecturer in mathematical logic at the University of Oxford, where he also held a Fellowship at All Souls College. He remains a Quondam Fellow of the College. His early academic career included a Harmsworth Senior Scholarship and a Junior Research Fellowship at Merton College.

He earned both his MA and DPhil in Mathematics from Oxford in 1963, and received his early education at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School.

Beyond academia, Emeritus Professor Crossley is a passionate photographer. He held his first exhibition in Melbourne in 1974, and later showcased ‘Composition and Context’ in 2005, a collection of images captured around the world. His photography has been published in Australia, Britain and the Philippines.

Emeritus Professor Ronald Weber

BComm Qld MBA PhD Minn
Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Monash South Africa) (2013 – 2014)
Dean, Faculty of Information Technology (2004 – 2013)
Conferred 28 June 2014

Emeritus Professor Weber is a cross-disciplinary leader in both information systems and accounting, with a distinguished academic career that spans over four decades. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University from 2004 to 2013, and in 2013 was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash South Africa, before being conferred the title of Emeritus Professor in 2014.

An accomplished scholar, Emeritus Professor Weber is known for his extensive contributions across both disciplines. He has published nine books and monographs, 12 book chapters, and more than 50 academic research papers, including 17 A* and 15 A-ranked journal articles. His work has attracted over 10,000 citations, earning him an H-index of 43. His research has been supported by more than $900,000 in competitive grant funding, including three ARC Discovery Grants and one Linkage Grant.

His contributions to teaching have been equally significant. Emeritus Professor Weber has supervised 26 doctoral students, as well as 33 coursework masters and honours students. In 2000, he was awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for University Teacher of the Year, the Australian Universities Teaching Committee Award in Business, Economics and Related Studies, and was the inaugural recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award by the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Before joining Monash, Emeritus Professor Weber held a number of academic and leadership roles at the University of Queensland between 1979 and 2002, including Professor of Commerce, Professor of Information Systems, Associate Dean (Research), and Acting Head of Department. He also held academic appointments at ANU and the University of Queensland, and visiting professorships at institutions including the University of Minnesota, New York University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Otago, the University of Alberta, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Emeritus Professor Weber has also held prominent roles in both the accounting and information systems communities. He was President of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand from 1987 to 1989, and President of the Association for Information Systems in 1997. He has also served on numerous professional advisory committees, including the Australian Society of Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. In editorial leadership, he was Editor-in-Chief of MIS Quarterly from 2002 to 2004.

In recognition of his remarkable contributions, Emeritus Professor Weber has been awarded Life Membership of both the Association for Information Systems and the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand. He was also honoured with the Notable Contributions to the Accounting Literature Award and, in 2002, was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

He earned a First-Class Honours degree in Commerce from the University of Queensland, where he was awarded the University Medal. He later completed his Masters and PhD at the University of Minnesota.

Emeritus Professor Susan McKemmish

BA (Hons) MA GradDipLib RMIT PhD
Chair of Archival Systems (2004 – 2021)
Conferred 6 March 2021

Emeritus Professor McKemmish joined the Graduate School of Librarianship, Archives and Records at Monash University in 1990, then part of the Faculty of Arts. The program later became an integral part of the Faculty of Information Technology, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the discipline.

Over the course of her distinguished career, Emeritus Professor McKemmish has earned an international reputation as a pioneering academic, a passionate advocate for social justice, and a thought leader in Records Continuum theory. She is widely recognised for her contributions to recordkeeping and information management, and is one of the most cited scholars in Archival Science, with over 3,100 citations and a H-index of 30.

She has published more than 120 scholarly works and is a seven-time recipient of the Mander-Jones Award from the Australian Society of Archivists, acknowledging excellence in archival publication. Her influence extends beyond academia into practice, policy and community engagement.

Throughout her career, she has been a Chief Investigator on numerous research projects funded by the Australian Research Council, as well as through contributions from industry partners, state governments, philanthropic organisations and international bodies.

In recognition of her enduring contributions to the field, Emeritus Professor McKemmish was named a Laureate of the Australian Society of Archivists, one of the highest honours in the profession. She also served on the Public Records Advisory Council, appointed by the Victorian Minister for the Arts to a five-year term, providing high-level strategic guidance on public recordkeeping in the state.