Australia Day honours in University community

Friday, 27 January 2017

Staff and wider members of the University of Adelaide community are among the Australians recognised in this year’s Australia Day honours.

They include Curator of the Arboretum Dr Jennifer Gardner, Emeritus Professor in Chemistry John Bowie, Adjunct Senior Lecturer Professor Jim Gehling and Honorary Visiting Professor Julia Gillard.

Dr Jennifer Gardner (School of Agriculture, Food and Wine) has been awarded a Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia for service to conservation and the environment.

Dr Gardner has been Curator of the Waite Arboretum for more than 30 years during which time she has significantly increased the collection with more than 2200 trees planted.

She has overseen the growth of broad community and public engagement with the Arboretum and Waite Conservation Reserve, co-founding the Friends of the Waite Arboretum and Friends of the Waite Conservation Reserve. She is also co-founder of national research and education organisation TREENET, which makes a significant contribution to Australia’s ‘urban forest’.

Emeritus Professor John Bowie (School of Physical Sciences) has been made a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for significant service to science in the field of mass spectrometry, and to education as an academic, researcher and author.

Professor Bowie is a former Head of the Department of Chemistry and Pro Vice-Chancellor, retired since 2012 but still taking an active research role within the department.

He pioneered the development of a particular type of mass spectrometry used in gas phase negative ion chemistry, which spawned a whole new field for identifying various types of chemicals important in areas as diverse as biology and space.

Professor Jim Gehling (School of Physical Sciences and Environment Institute), a Senior Research Scientist and leading palaeontologist at the South Australian Museum, is also an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in earth sciences and Affiliate Professor in the Sprigg Geobiology Centre.

He received the award Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to environmental science, and to higher education, as an academic and researcher, in the area of palaeontology, and to the community of the Flinders Ranges.

The Honourable Professor Julia Gillard (School of History and Politics), received the award Companion (AC) in the Order of Australia for eminent service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly as Prime Minister, through seminal contributions to economic and social development, particularly policy reform in the areas of education, disability care, workplace relations, health, foreign affairs and the environment, and as a role model to women.

Professor Gillard has been an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of Adelaide since 2013.

The University of Adelaide congratulates Dr Gardner, Emeritus Professor Bowie, Professor Gehling and Professor Gillard, as well as dozens of alumni and friends of the University acknowledged in the Australia Day honours.

A full list of University of Adelaide alumni recognised in the 2017 Australia Day Honours can be seen here.

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