Education
Born in Nottingham, Wellings was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School, King"s College London (Bachelor of Science Honours), Durham University (Master of Science ) and the University of East Anglia (Doctor of Philosophy, 1980).
administrator commander Deputy Chief Executive
Born in Nottingham, Wellings was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School, King"s College London (Bachelor of Science Honours), Durham University (Master of Science ) and the University of East Anglia (Doctor of Philosophy, 1980).
In 1981 he moved to Australia as a research ecologist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), becoming Chief of the Entomology Division in 1995. In 1997 he was seconded to the Australian Commonwealth Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources as Head of the Science and Innovation Division and returned to Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in 1999 as Deputy Chief Executive. He has also been of Director of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the Cumbrian Rural Regenaration Company.
Wellings became Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University in 2002.
During his appointment, he controversially co-operated with a police prosecution of the "George Fox Six", a group of students and alumni involved in a protest about a conference at the university. Wellings was reproached by several academic and civil liberties groups for his involvement.
Wellings is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wollongong as of 1 January 2012, where he took over from Gerard Sutton. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to higher education.
He is the current Vice-Chancellor of University of Wollongong taking over on 1 January 2012 having previously been Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, Chair of the now defunct 1994 Group of smaller research-intensive universities and is a member of the Board of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. He is a Board member of Universities United Kingdom and chair of UUK"s International and European Policy Committee, and a Board member of Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Chair of HEFCE"s Research Committee.