# Elizabeth Eastland

> Elizabeth (Liz) Eastland is a Sydney-based Canadian Australian artist, writer and innovation executive who founded and formerly led iAccelerate at the University of Wollongong. Her career includes telecommunications leadership, CSIRO and UNSW entrepreneurship roles, climate-tech advisory work, and an art practice spanning painting, film, installation and theatre.

- **Role:** Artist and writer at Liz Eastland Art
- **Organizations:** Liz Eastland Art, iAccelerate (founder and former CEO), University of Wollongong (former innovation director), CSIRO (former strategy and innovation executive), UNSW Sydney (former Director Entrepreneurship), Alcatel (former executive), Greenhouse (advisory work documented from 2021), Investible (Climate Tech Fund advisory panel documented in 2023), Cicada Innovations (former board director), Australian Network for Art and Technology (former board director)
- **Nationality:** Canadian Australian
- **Education:** BA in Creative Writing, with distinction; her biography also documents computer science studies, Concordia University, Montreal, Executive MBA; Alumni Award and Alumni Scholarship, Australian Graduate School of Management, UNSW, Bachelor of Fine Arts, painting and drawing; graduated as dux, National Art School, Sydney, PhD; ethnographic film research on four women scientists, supervised by Ross Gibson, Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney
- **Known for:** Founded and led iAccelerate during its early development., By February 2016, UOW reported 57 new companies and 119 startup jobs supported during her five years leading iAccelerate., Named among AFR/Westpac’s 100 most influential women in 2012.

## Career timeline

- **1985** — Completed a creative-writing BA at Concordia University with distinction.
- **1998** — Completed an Executive MBA at AGSM, UNSW.
- **2002-2006** — Four-year voyage through the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Caribbean; produced pastel artworks.
- **2009** — Completed fine-art study at the National Art School as dux.
- **2010-2016** — Led innovation at the University of Wollongong.
- **2011** — Developed iAccelerate with institutional support from vice-chancellor Gerard Sutton.
- **2015** — Awarded a University of Sydney PhD; iAccelerate team received a UOW Vice-Chancellor’s Award.
- **2016-2017** — Worked in strategy and innovation at CSIRO.
- **2017-2019** — Director Entrepreneurship at UNSW and board director at Cicada Innovations.
- **2021** — Began advisory work with Greenhouse, according to her published CV.
- **2022** — Sailed around Fiji and New Caledonia, publishing geographically mapped poetry.
- **2023** — Named on Investible’s Climate Tech Fund advisory panel; walked the Camino Frances with her husband Paul.
- **2024** — Exhibited A Thousand Prayers at Curl Curl Creative Space in May.
- **2026** — Manly Theatre Group programmed Le Chemin for 16-25 July; her website subsequently promoted Aqua in a short-play festival.

## Achievements

- Founded and led iAccelerate during its early development.
- By February 2016, UOW reported 57 new companies and 119 startup jobs supported during her five years leading iAccelerate.
- Named among AFR/Westpac’s 100 most influential women in 2012.
- iAccelerate team received a University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor’s Award in 2015.
- Graduated as dux from the National Art School; Pythagoras’ Journey entered the school’s permanent collection.
- Completed a PhD connecting ethnographic film and scientific discovery.
- Created A Thousand Prayers, combining pastel works, a 60-metre installation and a film.
- Le Chemin received a Manly Theatre Group world-premiere season listing in July 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Her website, checked on 21 October 2026, promoted Aqua and eleven other short plays, linking to the Manly Festival of Short Plays 2026.
- **2026-07** — Manly Theatre Group listed Le Chemin, written by Liz Eastland and directed by Kathleen Walker, in a double bill at the Sky Theatre from 16 to 25 July.
- **2024-05** — A Thousand Prayers was exhibited at Curl Curl Creative Space; she also appeared on Don’t Stop Us Now, episode 184.
- **2023-02** — Investible published her participation in its Climate Tech Fund advisory panel.

## Links

- Website: https://lizeastlandart.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabetheastland/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lizeastlandart4527
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlandelizabeth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizeastlandart

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/elizabeth-eastland
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-21