University of Adelaide community recognised in Australia Day honours

The University of Adelaide congratulates members of its community recognised in the 2023 Australia Day honours list.

Professor Peter Høj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide said: “I would like to congratulate all the distinguished members of our community whose work has been acknowledged in this year’s Australia Day Honours.

“People are the University’s greatest asset. We are proud of our community of highly talented individuals who lead positive change for the benefit of many and are working to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges.

“It is wonderful to see these people recognised nationally for their achievements.”

Among the University community’s more than 20 members to receive honours are:

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

Dr Anne Tonkin AO – For distinguished service to medical professional regulation, to tertiary education, and to clinical pharmacology.

Dr Tonkin worked for over 20 years as a clinical academic at the University’s Adelaide Medical School. She has been active in drug regulation and in professional regulation, and was appointed chair of the Medical Board of Australia in 2018.

Emeritus Professor Jack McLean AO - For distinguished service to road safety research, particularly to the causes and prevention of motor vehicle accidents.

Professor McLean founded the University’s Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR) in its original iteration, the Road Accident Research Unit, in 1973 and remained Director through its various iterations from 1973 until 2008. An engineer with a doctorate in epidemiology, Professor McLean has extensive experience in the role of the factors which cause crashes and injuries on our roads.

Emeritus Professor Warwick Anderson AO - For distinguished service to health and medical research organisations, and to professional associations.

Professor Anderson obtained his PhD from the University of Adelaide. His research has focused on renal causes of hypertension. From 2006 to 2015 he was Chief Executive Officer, National Health and Medical Research Council. In 2015 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University.

“People are the University’s greatest asset. We are proud of our community of highly talented individuals who lead positive change for the benefit of many and are working to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges."Professor Peter Høj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide.

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)

Emerita Professor Ngaire Naffine OAM – For service to law and the legal profession

Professor Naffine is Emerita Professor of Law at the University’s Adelaide Law School. She has published in the areas of criminology, criminal law, jurisprudence, feminist legal theory and medical law. She has held positions as a visiting scholar at a number of prestigious overseas institutions.

Mr Rodney Smith OAM - For service to music education

Mr Smith was Head of Pedagogy Studies at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. During his time at the University he conducted research on piano performance and pedagogy, with particular focus on music of the twentieth century European avant-garde and the English romantics.

The University of Adelaide congratulates these recipients and all of the alumni and friends of the University acknowledged in the honours list.

The full list of members of the University of Adelaide community in the 2023 Australia Day Honours is available here.