Professor James Arvanitakis is the Director of the Forrest Research Foundation based at the University of Western Australia and an adjunct professor at Curtin University. He moved to Perth, Western Australia to take up the position and was formerly the Pro Vice Chancellor (Engagement and Advancement) at Western Sydney University and Executive Director of Fulbright Australia.

After a successful career in finance and human rights, he has worked with universities for more than 15 years establishing innovative education and research programs including The Academy at Western (awarded the Australian Financial Review Excellence in Education Award) and was awarded the Prime Minister’s University Teacher of the Year Award (2012).

He has a regular segment on ABC News 24, has various Board positions including the Perth Festival and is the inaugural Patron of Diversity Arts Australia. He is a Fulbright alumnus, having spent 12 months at the University of Wyoming as the Milward L Simpson Distinguished Fellow and in 2022 he founded Respectful Disagreements, a brave spaces project.