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New Vice-Chancellor on science, service and why listening comes before leading
As dawn breaks over the Illawarra escarpment, Professor G.Q. Max Lu has already started his day. After scanning the local and global news, including updates from the UK, where he’s just wrapped up a transformative nine-year term as Vice-Chancellor at the 榴莲视频app of Surrey, he takes a quiet walk by the ocean, clears his mind and arrives at the 榴莲视频app of 榴莲视频app (UOW) campus energised.
It’s a daily ritual that reflects both his discipline and his drive. And as he strolls through campus, he greets a handful of students, asking casually what degree they’re studying and how they’re finding university life. These conversations are short but intentional, part of his leadership style that puts people at the centre.
“You can’t lead a university without first listening, really listening, to its people and community,” he says.
In late May 2025, Professor Lu officially stepped into the role of UOW’s sixth Vice-Chancellor and President, and he did so at a pivotal time. The university, like many across Australia, is navigating significant financial pressures and policy changes. But for Professor Lu, hard times are no stranger. He brings with him the kind of calm focus and long-term vision that’s been shaped by a lifetime of perseverance.
“I was born in a small rural town in China, where in the 1970s, opportunities were limited,” he shares. “But thanks to a high school teacher who encouraged me to pursue science and two scholarships, one to study at Northeastern 榴莲视频app in China and another for a PhD in chemical engineering at the 榴莲视频app of Queensland, I was fortunate to have the opportunities to grow, to explore, and to shape a different future. That memory has never left me. I know first hand what difference universities can make for people's lives.”
These early experiences have shaped his worldview, and Professor Lu still speaks about them with gratitude. And although he’s now a globally respected nanotechnologist, recognised university leader and a Member of the Order of Australia, he never loses sight of the human side of education. “No one is an island,” he says, quoting John Donne. “We rise by connecting, by learning together, building together.”
A career built on science and people
After completing his PhD in Queensland, Professor Lu quickly rose through academic ranks, to this day publishing more than 600 peer-reviewed journal articles and co-inventing 25 international patents, several of which are licensed or being commercialised for energy and environmental applications.
At the 榴莲视频app of Queensland, he founded the ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials and later served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Provost, and Senior Vice-President. His career has taken him across the world, from Singapore to Princeton, but it was his time in the UK that tested and proved his leadership in turbulent times.
“When I arrived at Surrey, there was a real disconnect between the university and the town,” he recalls. “We changed that, one meeting, one coffee, one shared goal at a time. I met regularly with the leaders and Mayor of Guildford, partnered with local schools, even helped turn a struggling high school into one of the region’s better performing institutions.”
Then came Brexit. And then the pandemic.
“Revenue dropped sharply, just like what we’re facing now at UOW. But we didn’t just cut costs, we united the community and envisioned how the university can grow. And over time, we emerged stronger,” Professor Lu recalls.
His nine-year tenure at the 榴莲视频app of Surrey is now widely recognised as a period of transformative growth. Under his leadership, revenue increased from $500 million to $690 million, while student enrolments rose to over 16,500. But beyond the numbers, it was the long-term foundations he helped lay that stand out.
He championed the creation of two pan-university research institutes, one focused on people-centred artificial intelligence, the other on sustainability, reflecting his belief that universities must lead on both innovation and responsibility. A third major initiative, the Surrey Space Institute, is on track to open in late 2025.
Bringing that experience home
Now back in Australia, Professor Lu sees leading UOW as a “huge privilege and a responsibility”. He speaks with warmth about being close to his grown-up children again, and with clarity about the challenges ahead.
“The higher education sector is under strain. The government funding is limited, international enrolments are vulnerable to policy shifts, and demand for some humanities disciplines is falling while the job market shifts rapidly. But these aren’t reasons to despair. They are reasons to come together and reimagine the future.”
For Professor Lu, UOW’s future lies in playing to its strengths: student experience, real-world outcomes and deep regional roots.
“This is a university with soul,” he often says. "One that should remain true to its mission of access, inclusion and impact."
Change is the only constant
Ask Professor Lu what that mission looks like in 2025 and beyond, and his focus is immediate: students.
“We live in volatile times,” he says. “Climate change is accelerating, with sea temperatures rising. Five billion people, more than 60 per cent of the world’s population, are online, and we also have AI transforming how we learn, live and work. Geopolitical tensions affect millions around the world.
"So the question for universities is: what kind of graduates are we sending out into that reality, and more importantly, how should we equip our future graduates with the skills and capabilities to shape the rapidly changing world for the better?”
His answer is clear: students need more than a degree; they need curiosity, adaptability and a mindset for lifelong learning.
"An open mind, the ability to question, the confidence to pivot, and the courage and integrity to lead – those are the skills that will serve them well, whatever comes next. Change is always hard, but it’s also the only constant.”
And ultimately, the goal is not just career readiness, it’s leadership with purpose. “We need to educate the next generation of professionals who, if we teach them well, will become leaders in their field and therefore make great contributions to society,” Professor Lu says.
That includes making sure every student has the chance to thrive.
“We want to ensure that anyone, regardless of background or circumstance, can come to UOW, feel supported, and leave with a sense of purpose and potential.”
Global reach and local impact
While Professor Lu is proud of UOW’s global footprint, its international campuses, partnerships and alumni, he says he's equally focused on what’s happening in the Illawarra and surrounding areas.
“UOW has a strong presence across the globe, which is one of our strengths. But our heart is first and foremost in this region. And I believe we can be a top 100 global university and a top 10 Australian university because of the way we’re rooted here, through our collaborations with local industry and community.”
As an engineer by training, he sees the Illawarra’s industrial heritage not as something of the past, but as a foundation for the future: a region rich with potential for advanced manufacturing, clean energy, health care and research-led innovation.
“We’re here to grow the region’s economy, strengthen our communities and drive social progress, not just in the Illawarra, but across New South Wales and on the global stage,” he says.
A shared purpose
Professor Lu is the first to admit that realising big visions takes time and trust.
“Being Vice-Chancellor is ultimately about service. It’s about bringing people together and making sure students, staff and the community all feel part of something bigger.”
He’s excited about what’s ahead. And quietly confident, too.
“The good news is that we’ve already started,” he says, gesturing to the landscape beyond his office window. “This is paradise. And I believe we have the talent, the spirit and the resilience to write the next great chapter of UOW’s story.”
And as for what that chapter looks like?
He smiles. “As Nelson Mandela said, and I truly believe this, ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done’.”
“There’s that story about the NASA janitor who, when asked what his job was, said, ‘I’m helping put a man on the moon.’ That’s what I want for all of us here at UOW: a shared sense of purpose and a genuine pride in the roles we each play.”
