External Advisory Committee for Post Graduate ICT Courses

Dr Wendy Chen, CTO - Banking, Insurance and Growth Industry, Kyndryl, Australia

Wendy is a technology strategist and executive leader specializing in leading IT digital transformation and modernization, improving on the existing enterprise-wide technology and operation model, and delivering innovation, modernization, governance, profitability, and growth. Her recent leadership roles have been as an IBM/Kyndryl Chief Enterprise Architect for Westpac Bank, Transport for NSW, and AIA Insurance client, as well as an Industry CTO for Kyndryl’s Banking, Insurance, and Growth accounts.

Wendy has produced three patents in the U.S.A. in the areas of logistics application aggregation, security, and configuration management. Her solutions have been reused and deployed in 120+ IBM/Kyndryl’s global clients. She has published three books and 18 papers internationally through high-ranking publishers such as IEEE and ACM on various topics such as AI, data modelling, software engineering, service management, and cloud. Wendy has been appointed an honorary Adjunct Professor with the School of Computing, Engineering, and Mathematics at Western Sydney University since 2018.

Dr Jeffrey Gosper, Dean, Higher Education, Apex Australia

Dr Jeffrey Gosper have extensive experience in the Australian higher education sector, having held several different positions at multiple higher education providers including roles as Dean, Academic Director and Associate Professor. He has served on multiple Academic Boards, as well as various Teaching and Learning Committees. In these roles Dr Gosper has been responsible for academic operations, course development, quality assurance, as well as TEQSA accreditation and registration activities.

Dr Jeffrey Gosper gained his Bachelor of Science (Hons) and PhD from Sydney University. He then joined the CSIRO as a Research Scientist, and again later at another division as a Senior Research Engineer. Dr Gosper became a lecturer at Brunel University in England where he stayed for 10 years before taking up the role of Senior Software Consultant for Tripos Inc. (a NASDAQ listed company). At Tripos he worked with an international team creating web-based data fusion and informatics solutions for a range of large pharmaceutical companies. Dr Gosper also completed his studies towards an MSc in Advanced Computing at Kings College London whilst he was in England.

In recent years, Dr Gosper has designed and developed multiple undergraduate and postgraduate courses in information technology and information systems for various higher education providers. He has also been a member of the Australian Computer Society since 2004.

Ms Pallavi Verma, Senior IT Consultant, ATEO, Australia; Dean’s Medallist, Master of ICT, Alumni

Pallavi is a Senior IT Consultant with a distinguished academic background and a commitment to advancing technology and education. Pallavi earned her Bachelor of Computer Applications with Gold Medal honors from PCTE Group of Institutes in India, where she was also recognized with the ‘Wg. Cdr. H S Gill Memorial Gold Medal’ for being the best all-round student. She continued her academic excellence at Western Sydney University, where she was awarded a Dean’s Medal for her outstanding performance in the Master of Information and Communications Technology (Advanced) program.

Pallavi was also a finalist at the 2023 NSW Young Achiever Awards, recognized for her significant contributions and achievements in her field. With a background in both project management and IT consultancy, she has made notable contributions and has been a role model for students and professionals alike. She has shared her insights as a speaker at prominent events including the ACS Young Professionals Summit, ISANA Conference, and various Women in STEM initiatives.

Her involvement at Western Sydney University extends beyond her role on the advisory committee. She had been actively engaged in various student committees, including the Vice Chancellor’s International Student Advisory, Review of Academic Senate Committee, and School Academic Committee – School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics. Pallavi's passion for guiding students and her dedication to the advancement of technology education are evident in her work and her numerous speaking engagements.

Dr Binqi Zhang, Director - Digital Engineering, Digital Innovation, PwC, Australia

Dr. Binqi Zhang has over twenty years experience in software development, technology consulting, and business transformation. He has taken senior roles at IBM, Rackspace, Twilio, and PwC Australia. His specialty areas include cloud architecture, security, resilience, and compliance. Binqi has advised on complex digital transformation programs in some of Australia's largest organisations in highly regulated industries. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has named him one of the AWS Ambassadors in recognition of his influence to the technical community and contribution to client engagements. With extensive experience in training and retaining technical talent, Binqi has been passionate giving back to community by aspiring future generations of engineers and technologists.