Professor Michelle Simmons FAA—2018 Australian of the Year
Professor Graham Farquhar AO FAA FRS—2018 Senior Australian of the Year
More on the Australian of the Year awards
Professor Jennifer Martin AC FAA—Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to science, and to scientific research, particularly in the field of biochemistry and protein crystallography applied to drug-resistant bacteria, as a role model, and as an advocate for gender equality in science.
Professor Trevor John McDougall AC FAA FRS—Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to science, and to education, particularly in the area of ocean thermodynamics, as an academic, and researcher, to furthering the understanding of climate science, and as a mentor of young scientists.
Emeritus Professor Lewis Mander AC FAA FRS—Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to science through pioneering contributions to organic chemistry in the field of plant growth hormones, to higher education as an academic, researcher and author, and to national and international scientific societies.
Professor Ezio Rizzardo AC FAA FRS FTSE—Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to scientific technological research and development in the field of polymer chemistry, to its application in the biomedical, electronics and nanotechnology context, as an author, and through mentorship roles.
Professor Martin Banwell AO FAA—Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to science education as an academic, author and researcher, particularly in the field of synthetic organic chemistry, to scientific institutes, and as a mentor of emerging scientists.
Emeritus Professor Michael Barber AO FAA FTSE—Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to higher education administration, and in the field of mathematical physics, particularly statistical mechanics, as an academic and researcher, and through contributions to science policy reform.
Laureate Professor Scott Sloan AO FAA FRS FTSE—Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to education, particularly in the field of geotechnical engineering, as an academic and researcher, to professional associations, and as a mentor of young engineers.
Dr Robin Bedding AM FAA—Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to science in the field of entomology as a researcher, and to the forestry industry both nationally and internationally.
Professor Sharad Kumar AM FAA—Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to medical research in the field of cancer and cell biology, as a scientist and author, to medical education, and as a mentor.
Dr Hugh (Cecil) Tyndale-Biscoe AM FAA—Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to science in the field of marsupial reproductive biology and ecology, as a researcher and mentor, and to professional societies.
More on these Australia Day honours
Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn FAA—Visiting Miller Professorship—Astronomy, UC Berkeley Miller Institute
Professor John Shine AC FAA—Honorary Doctor of Science, Australian National University, for outstanding contributions to biological science
Professor Matthias Hentze FAA— Honorary Doctor of Science, Australian National University, for exceptional contributions to science
Bertil Andersson FAA—Honorary Doctor of Science, Australian National University, for exceptional contributions to science
Emeritus Professor David Curtis was the Academy’s 11th President, serving from 1986–1990.
Professor Curtis graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1950 with Honours in Medicine and in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. After working at the Royal Melbourne Hospital for a few years he resolved to move from clinical neurology or neurosurgery to laboratory-based research relevant to neurological disorders. He took up a position with Nobel Laureate Sir John Eccles AC FAA FRS as a Research Scholar at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR), ANU.
Professor Curtis arrived in Canberra on 16 February 1954, the day that Queen Elizabeth founded the Academy when she presented its Charter to a number of Petitioners, which included ten Fellows of the Royal Society of London then resident in Australia, including Eccles (who went on to become the Academy’s second President).
Professor Curtis completed his PhD on the synaptic transmitters in the spinal cord in 1956 and at the age of 38 was elected to the Academy in 1965 for his work on the identification and pharmacology of central transmitters in mammals. He was elected to the Royal Society of London in 1974 and appointed Director of JCSMR from 1989 to 1992.
Professor Curtis’s contributions to the Academy over several decades were extraordinary. He served on numerous committees and was on the Editorial Board of the Academy’s journal, Historical Records of Australian Science and served as its Chair from 2002 to 2009. He also served on the Academy’s Council from 1974 and was Vice-President from 1974 to 1977. He served again on the Council from 1986 to 1990, when he also served as President of the Academy. Professor Curtis’s active participation in the Academy continued until just a few years ago. He was very highly respected within the Fellowship and will be greatly missed.
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