Dr Paul Di Pietro, UOW joins i3net Board

i3net, the Illawarra’s only dedicated heavy industry networking group is delighted to welcome Dr Paul Di Pietro Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Engagement), University of Wollongong to the i3net Board.

The i3net is guided by the wisdom and experience of the Board, who are dedicated to supporting our members achieve their business goals. Paul will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to i3net and continue to strengthen our ongoing relationship with UOW.

Paul re-joined the University of Wollongong in 2018 to lead the Facility for Intelligent Fabrication and industry engagement activities in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences.  Paul also established the Industry 4.0 Hub on the UOW Shoalhaven campus in 2020.  In 2021 he took up the role of Dean of Research Knowledge Exchange and Translation before transitioning into the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Engagement) in 2023.  Paul continues to lead the University’s Defence strategy and is the Chief Security Officer for the Defence Industry Security Program.

Prior to re-joining UOW, Paul spent 15 years across a number of roles at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), including General Manager of Campus Services, Deputy Head of the Institute of Materials Engineering, and ultimately as the Head of Innovation and Integration.  Paul was also previously the Managing Director of the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) for several years. 

Much of his earlier experiences were gained in family business in the private heavy engineering sector providing design support, project and operations management for major overhauls of brown field plant.  He has also led research collaborations in novel welding technologies for various public sector research organisations (CSIRO, UNSW, and UOW / CRC for Welded Structures where he was a Senior Research Fellow from 2000-2004).  Paul has published over 20 papers in laser processing and arc welding.  He has also been awarded several competitive research grants from the Australian Research Council and has conducted consultancies to industry and supervised several HDR students.

Paul is a mechanical engineering alumnus from UOW with a PhD in manufacturing from UNSW.  In 2014 Paul completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, and throughout 2013-2015 Paul completed an Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership at the Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) USA.  In 2017 Paul completed the Advanced Leadership Programme at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge UK. 

Paul was born in Wollongong and has lived in the Illawarra for over 50 years and enjoys spending time with his wife and their two adult children.

See all the i3net Board members.