Curtin University has appointed Carl Solder, chief technology officer of Cisco Australia and New Zealand, as an adjunct professor, with the university saying the move is intended to support innovation and build future technology skills.
The appointment draws on Solder’s 40-year career across Australia, New Zealand, the Asia-Pacific region and the United States, including 19 years in Silicon Valley, according to the university.
Curtin said that while working in the US, Solder was part of Cisco’s core engineering teams and contributed to the development of enterprise, data centre and cloud networking products. The university said this experience would inform his work with students.
In the adjunct role, Curtin said Solder will mentor students, deliver specialised seminars and share practical insights into networking technologies and technology leadership.
Solder said the appointment was a “profound honour” and a “full-circle moment”, noting he completed his undergraduate degree at Curtin in 1984.
