Australia's Centre of Excellence in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research, NICTA, has appointed Dr David Everitt, to head up its Canberra Research Laboratory.

Everitt has over two decades of extensive research and research management experience.

He recently held the position of chair of Internetworking of the School of Information Technologies at the University of Sydney.

He will take up the position of Canberra-based research laboratory director from July 16, 2007.

The current Canberra laboratory head, Dr Terry Caelli, stepped down from the position at the end of June 2007.

He will continue to work with NICTA in a research leadership role.

NICTA managing laboratory director Dr Terry Percival said Caelli joined NICTA in July 2004 and in February 2006, he took on the role of Canberra research laboratory director building a strong team culture.

The new appointee, Everitt, received his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Queensland.

He has worked at British Telecom research laboratories as an executive engineer and as a principal engineer in the network analysis section at Telecom Australia Research Laboratories.

While at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at The University of Melbourne he held the position of Associate Professor from 1993 to 2000.

At Swinburne University of Technology he established and developed the Centre for Convergent Technologies.

Dr Everitt's research interests are in performance engineering for communication networks, especially with regards to wireless networks, local area networks and all-optical networks

"I am excited to be joining NICTA as the Canberra release lab prepares for a move into new facilities which will see NICTA become the founding member of Canberra's new Knowledge Precinct," Dr Everitt said.

"NICTA is undertaking important use-inspired basic research that will make a difference and contribute to Australia's ICT industry."

The new building that houses the laboratory will be operational in September and will bring together NICTA's three offices in Canberra, housing the current 165 staff and students and allowing expansion of up to 220 people.

The building on London Circuit, adjacent to The Australian National University (ANU), is set to become the hub of innovative ICT activity in the ACT.

It will include a cluster of ICT companies centred on NICTA's research in the ACT.