News Archive

One of The University of Western Australia’s first female engineering graduates who went on to become CEO of the Water Corporation, a former Supreme Court Justice and one of Australia’s most powerful women who used to lead Westpac are among 22 graduates and five staff members who have been recognised in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

UWA engineering graduate Sue Murphy, of Nedlands, was one of four UWA alumni to be appointed an Officer in the General Division (AO) of the Order of Australia. Ms Murphy, a member of the UWA Senate and UWA Business School Board, was recognised for “distinguished service to the natural resources sector in Western Australia, and to engineering”.

Law graduate The Honourable Neville Owen, of Nedlands, was also recognised for “distinguished service to the law, and to the judiciary, to legal education, and to the community of Western Australia” and economics graduate Dianne Smith-Gander, of East Fremantle, for “distinguished service to business, to women’s engagement in executive roles, to gender equality, and to the community”.

Medicine graduate Professor Richard Pestell, who’s based in the US, was recognised for “distinguished service to medicine, and to medical education, as a researcher and physician in the fields of endocrinology and oncology.

UWA Professor David Mackey, Managing Director and Chair of the Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, was also awarded an AO for “distinguished service to medicine, and to medical education, in the field of ophthalmology, as a clinician-scientist and academic”.

Former State Education Minister and Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow Elizabeth Constable, of Mosman Park (PhD, DLitt) and former director of UWA’s Centre for Women’s Studies Delys Bird (BA, MA) were appointed Members (AM) in the General Division.

Dr Constable was recognised for “significant service to the people and Parliament of Western Australia, and to education” while Ms Bird was honoured for “significant service to higher education, and to gender studies and literature”.

Other graduates recognised with an AM were Lenore Layman from Mt Lawley (BA, PhD); NSW residents Dr Catherine Keenan (BA) and Emeritus Professor Ivan Kennedy (BSc, PhD, DSc); Victorian residents David Krasnostein, (BJuris, LLB) and Melvyn Tozer (BCom); and ACT resident Michael Lynskey (BA).

Medicine graduates Dr Bill Carroll, who works as a consultant neurologist and clinical professor in UWA’s Centre of Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, and Associate Professor Prudence Manners, an honorary research fellow in UWA’s Medical School were also awarded an AM, along with PhD graduate Professor Dao-Yi Yu, head of physiology and pharmacology at UWA’s Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science.

Dr Brad Norman, Adjunct Associate Professor at UWA’s Oceans Institute, received an AM for “significant service to science as a marine biologist”.

Graduates awarded a Medal (OAM) in the General Division were: former WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Dr Wayne Gregson, of Darlington (BA); Peter Kenyon, of Kalamunda (BA, GradDipEd, MPhil); former State Labor minister Dr Judyth Watson, of Palmyra (BSc, PhD); Bernadette Waugh, of Swan View (BSc); Russell Waugh, of Swan View (BSc, Bed, Med, PHD); Dr Peter  Hector Faulkner, of Denmark (MBBS); and Toni Lalich, of Melbourne (BMus).