{{Short description|Australian electronic engineer and computer scientist}} {{EngvarB|date=January 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox scientist | name = David J. Skellern | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = | imagesize = | alt = | caption = David J. Skellern in 2014 | birth_date = 1951{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} 85 years old | birth_place = Sydney | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_co-ordinates = | other_names = | residence = | citizenship = | nationality = | fields = Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Radio astronomy | workplaces = Macquarie University, University of Sydney | patrons = | education = | alma_mater = University of Sydney | thesis_title = | thesis_url = | thesis_year = | doctoral_advisor = | academic_advisors = | doctoral_students = | notable_students = | known_for = Wireless, WLAN, Communications Technology | influences = | influenced = | awards = Norman W. V. Hayes Medal (1980) <br />M. A. Sargent Medal (2010) <br /> {{nowrap|Officer (AO), Order of Australia (2012)}} | spouse = | partner = | children = | website = [https://archive.today/20150101205535/http://thewarrencentre.org.au/ourpeople/the-governors/dr-david-skellern/] | footnotes = }}

'''David Skellern''' is an Australian electronic engineer and computer scientist credited, along with colleagues, for the first chip-set implementation of the IEEE 802.11a wireless networking standard.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://mq.edu.au/newsroom/2012/04/10/professor-david-skellern-awarded-honorary-doctorate/ |title=Newsroom - Macquarie University |access-date=3 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101224255/http://mq.edu.au/newsroom/2012/04/10/professor-david-skellern-awarded-honorary-doctorate/ |archive-date=1 January 2015 }}</ref>

He is credited with a number of important technology innovations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&p=1&f=S&l=50&Query=skellern-david-j%0D%0A&d=PTXT|title = Patent Database Search Results: Skellern-david-j in US Patent Collection|website=Patft.uspto.gov}}</ref> developed with colleagues which include John O'Sullivan, Terence Percival and Neil Weste, and in particular the first chip-set implementation of the IEEE 802.11a wireless networking standard.<ref name="auto"/> This innovation has been described as a revolution in world communications,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/09/30/1033283437102 |title = Future shop: The frequency will change it all|website=Theage.com.au|date = October 2002}}</ref> allowing high speed wireless communications.

Skellern was appointed to the Order of Australia in 2012.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?breif=true&page=1&search_type=quick |title=It's an Honour - Honours - Search Australian Honours |access-date=3 November 2014 |archive-date=21 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061653/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?breif=true&page=1&search_type=quick |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Education== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2025}} He obtained a B.Sc. University of Sydney (1972) [Pure Mathematics, Computer Science & Physics], a B.E. (Hons), Electrical Engineering, University of Sydney (1974), and a PhD, University of Sydney (1985) for a thesis on A Mapping System for Rotational Synthesis Data.

==Career== From 1974 to 1983, he worked in radio astronomy and taught electronics at Sydney University<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thewarrencentre.org.au/ourpeople/the-governors/dr-david-skellern/ |title=The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering &#124; Dr David Skellern &#124; the Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering |website=thewarrencentre.org.au |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150101205535/http://thewarrencentre.org.au/ourpeople/the-governors/dr-david-skellern/ |archive-date=1 January 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and Macquarie University.<ref name="auto"/> From 1983 to 1989 he held research and academic positions at that university's department of Electrical engineering. In 1989, he became Professor and chair of the Department of Electronics at Macquarie University.

In 1997, he co-founded Radiata, a company engaged in the commercial development of WLAN communications.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IvdOhrMg5zgC&q=radiata%2Bcisco&pg=PT105 |title = Wireless Technology Prospects and Policy Options|isbn = 9780309209656|date = 2011-02-24| publisher=National Academies Press }}</ref> The company demonstrated the world's first chip-set implementation of the 54&nbsp;Mbit/s IEEE 802.11a High-Speed WLAN standard, based on the research Skellern conducted with Neil Weste in the 1990s at Macquarie University<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://research.science.mq.edu.au/wireless/ |title=Wireless Communications and Networking Laboratory |access-date=3 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101223421/http://research.science.mq.edu.au/wireless/ |archive-date=1 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in collaboration with CSIRO. Radiata was sold to Cisco Systems in 2001 for $565 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/fspnisapi08cd.html |title=Cisco Systems to Acquire Radiata, Inc. - the Network: Cisco's Technology News Site |access-date=13 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619201541/http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/fspnisapi08cd.html |archive-date=19 June 2012 }}</ref>

When Radiata was acquired by Cisco in 2001. he became the Technology Director of their Wireless Networking Business Unit, until 2005, when he joined NICTA (National Information and Communications Technology Australia Ltd), where he was first chief executive officer (2005–2010) and finally, in 2011, Chairman.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

==Public activities== Skellern was involved in debate<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-223142A1.doc |title=Archived copy |access-date=3 November 2014 |archive-date=16 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016140947/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-223142A1.doc |url-status=dead }}</ref> on sharing of the spectrum which resulted in the allocation of additional 5&nbsp;GHz spectrum for Wireless Access Systems at the World Radio Conference in 2003 (WRC2003).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2003/19.html |title=World Radiocommunication Conference Concludes Agreements Define Future of Radiocommunications |access-date=3 November 2014 |archive-date=5 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305154619/http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2003/19.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Honors== He has held visiting faculty and researcher appointments at Imperial College London, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA, Digital Equipment Corporation Paris Research Labs, France, and British Telecom Research Labs, Martlesham Heath, UK, Visiting Researcher.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer for contributions to high speed devices and systems for wireless and wireline communications networks,<ref> {{Cite web| url=https://www.comsoc.org/membership/ieee-fellows/2007| title = IEEE Fellows 2007 &#124; IEEE Communications Society}} </ref> a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and an honorary fellow of the Engineers Australia (Institute of Engineers Australia).

He received the Clunies Ross Award, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2010<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/onairhighlights/clunies-ross-awards-david-skellern-and-neil-weste |title=Clunies Ross Awards, David Skellern and Neil Weste &#124; Innovations &#124; ABC Radio Australia |access-date=3 November 2014 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100914/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/onairhighlights/clunies-ross-awards-david-skellern-and-neil-weste |url-status=dead }}</ref> the MA Sargent Medal, Engineers Australia, the CSIRO Tony Benson Award for Individual Achievement in ICT and the CSIRO Medal, and the Norman W V Hayes Medal, Institute of Radio and Electronic Engineers, 1980.

In 2012, he received the Order of Australia.<ref name="auto1"/> In 2012, he received an honorary doctorate from Macquarie University.

Skellern was awarded the 2017 IEEE Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award (with John O'Sullivan) "for pioneering contributions to high-speed wireless LAN technology."

He won the 2010 M A Sargent Medal.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://archive.today/20150101205535/http://thewarrencentre.org.au/ourpeople/the-governors/dr-david-skellern/ Official website] *[https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/search/searchresult.jsp?searchWithin%3Dp_First_Names%3Adavid%26searchWithin%3Dp_Last_Names%3Askellern%26matchBoolean%3Dtrue%26pageNumber%3D2%26queryText%3D%28p_Authors%3Askellern%2C+david%29&refinements=4276864322&pageNumber=1&result publications list]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Skellern, David}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:Engineers from Sydney Category:Australian computer scientists Category:Academic staff of Macquarie University Category:Academic staff of the University of Sydney Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:University of Sydney alumni Category:Recipients of the M. A. Sargent Medal