Professor Ros Pesman (PhD Lond. BA) has held numerous positions at the University of Sydney, including Head of the Department of History, Acting Principal of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music (1994-1995) and Director of the Frederick May Foundation for Italian Studies, as well as Deputy Chair and Chair of the Academic Board. In March 1999 she became Pro Vice-Chancellor (College of Humanities and Social Sciences), then took up the Challis Chair in History before retiring from the University of Sydney in 2005. She then became President of the Australian Historical Association.