University of Queensland staff, students and alumni have been honoured in the Australia Day awards, featured as Australia Day Ambassadors or became new Australian citizens at ceremonies across the State.
University of Queensland alumnus, actor and film producer Dr Geoffrey Rush was named the 2012 Australian of the Year.
Australia Day Honours recipients as currently identified include:
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
Dr Ian DARNTON-HILL, an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health, for distinguished service to the international community, particularly in the areas of public health and nutrition, to disease prevention and health promotion, and as a physician, academic and educator.
Arts/Law graduate Andrew E F METCALFE, for distinguished service to public sector leadership through contributions to Australia's international relations and to major public policy development and program implementation in the areas of immigration, Australian citizenship, cultural diversity and national security, and to the community. Mr Metcalfe has been Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (and its predecessors) since 2005.
The Reverend Father William James UREN, who was Rector, St Leo’s College, The University of Queensland, 1998-2000, for distinguished service to education as a philosopher and bioethicist, as a commentator on contemporary issues in Australian society, as a scholar and mentor, and to the Catholic Church in Australia.
Member (AM) in the General Division
Philanthropist Dr Robert Andrew BRICE, for service to business, particularly to the tourism industry, and through philanthropic support for tertiary education institutions in Queensland. Dr Brice is a Founder of The University of Queensland Endowment Fund (UQef), operating since 2008. The Fund supports several scholarships and research programs. Dr Brice supports The UQ Young Achievers Program, a scholarship program providing financial assistance and support for disadvantaged years 11 and 12 students to enable them to progress to University. Dr Brice’s support for UQ has also included Frank Finn Scholarships, for Commerce Honours students and funding the educational version of the Reuters Screen in the Graduate Economics and Business Library, University of Queensland, 1988-2007. He was awarded an honorary UQ Doctor of Economics in 2011.
Dr Robert BRYAN, for service to the mining industry in a range of executive roles, and to the community through philanthropic contributions to arts, heritage and educational organisations. His UQ roles include being a Board Member, Bryan Research Centre, UQ; former Board Member, Sir James Foots Institute of Mining Resources; former Member, UQ Senate; Member, Development Council; former Board Member, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland. A supporter of the Customs House Restoration Appeal, he founded, through donation, the W H Bryan Mining Geology Research Centre, University of Queensland in 1990. He was awarded an honorary UQ Doctor of Business in 2010.
Dr John Michael FENWICK, for service to engineering through a range of executive roles, to the design and construction of major transport infrastructure, and to education. An adjunct Professor, School of Civil Engineering, UQ, since 1996, he was a Member, Senate, 1990-1992 and 1999-2005; Member, Senate Building and Grounds Committee, 1990-1992 and since 1999 and a range of other Senate and university committees. His awards /recognitions include: Honorary Doctorate in Engineering, The University of Queensland, 2006. Doctor of Philosophy (Structural Engineering), Oxford University, 1971. Rhodes Scholar, 1967. University Medal, University of Queensland, 1966.
Emeritus Scientia Professor Eugenie Ruth LUMBERS, for service to the medical sciences in the fields of physiology and pharmacology as a researcher, academic and administrator, and to the community. Professor Lumbers has been an Adjunct Professor, at The University of Queensland, since 2009.
Associate Professor Brian John MILLER, for service to medicine as a general and colorectal surgeon, to trauma education, as a mentor, and through contributions to improved surgical techniques. He has been an Associate Professor, General Surgery and Colorectal Surgery, UQ Department of Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital, since 2004. He received the Mervyn Neely Memorial Award for Excellence in Surgical Teaching, University of Queensland Medical Society in 2003 and 2011.
Mr David Graham RUSSELL RFD QC, for service to the National Party of Australia and to politics, to taxation law and legal education, and to the community. Mr Russell was an Adjunct Professor, T C Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland, 2001-2005 and lectured at UQ.
Professor Mandyam Veerambudi SRINIVASAN, for service to visual and sensory neuroscience through the Queensland Brain Institute, as an academic, researcher and mentor, and to the national and international scientific community. Professor Srinivasan has been a Professor in Visual and Sensory Neuroscience, UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, since 2007.
Philanthropist Dr Graeme Thomas WOOD, for service to business, particularly the tourism industry, and through philanthropic support for young people and tertiary education institutions in Queensland. Dr Wood is the Founder and Chairman, University of Queensland Endowment Fund (UQef), 2008. He is also an Executive Member, Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, since 2010. He was awarded an honorary UQ Doctor of Economics in 2011.
Medal (OAM) in the General Division
Mr Thomas BAXTER, for service to engineering through executive roles, and to the community. He was a Board Member, UQ Faculty of Engineering, in 1993.
Dr Robert John BLACK RFD, for service to medicine, particularly in the field of otolaryngology. He was an Associate Professor, UQ School of Medicine, until 2006.
Dr Hamilton Russell COWIE, for service to the community as an historian and advocate for restoration, and as an educator and academic. Dr Cowie was an Associate Professor, UQ Department of Education, 1994-1996. Coordinator and Senior Lecturer, History Curriculum Studies, 1972-1994, University Nominee, History Syllabus Committee, Queensland Studies Authority, 1976-1992 and a Council Member and Chairman, Grace College, 1987-1998. He won an Excellence in Teaching Award in 1994.
Medical alumnus (class of 1946) and former UQ Medical Society president Dr Ernest Humphry CRAMOND MBE, for service to medicine as a general practitioner and through the Australian Medical Association. Dr Cramond was President, Queensland Branch, Australian Medical Association, 1984-1985; and Honorary Vice-President, since 1993.
Emeritus Professor Roland Denis SUSSEX, for service to the development and understanding of languages in Australia. A Professor in Applied Language Studies, 1989-2010, he has been a Professorial Fellow in UQ's Centre for Educational Innovation and Technology, since 2010.
Please notify any omissions to communications@uq.edu.au
Australia Day Ambassadors
A number of current or former University of Queensland staff were among 38 Queenslanders appointed Australia Day Ambassadors.
They gave Australia Day speeches, handed out citizenship certificates to new citizens and a variety of awards for community service.
UQ Australia Day Ambassadors included:
• Senior lecturer in the School of English, Media Studies and Art History Dr Toni Johnson-Woods;
• 2010 Suncorp Queenslander of the Year, speech pathology and PhD graduate, 2011 Alumnus of the Yearand Founder of the Hear and Say Centre Associate Professor Dimity Dornan AM;
• 2010 Suncorp Young Queenslander of the Year, Founder of Youth Without Borders, and Engineering graduate Ms Yassmin Abdel-Magied;
• Emeritus Professor of Applied Language Studies and Chairman of the State Library of Queensland Roly Sussex; and
• Professor in Neonatal Paediatrics, 2002 Queensland Great and neonatal pioneer David Tudehope AM.
Distinguished alumnus delivers Australia Day address in the US
Prominent UQ alumnus Andrew Liveris, Chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company, was invited by the Australian Consulate General in New York to deliver its Australia Day address on January 23.
Each year, a distinguished Australian is asked to deliver an address on the privileges of being an Australian. The invitation to speak reflects Mr Liveris’s standing reputation as an Australian and global business leader. Mr Liveris is also the inaugural chair of The University of Queensland in America Foundation.
In his address, Mr Liveris provided a unique personal perspective on what makes him proudly Australian and stressed the importance of diversity and connecting with the world at large. Read his speech at the Australian Consulate-General New York website.
Media: Jan King 0413 601 248
