Members of the University community including staff, alumni and affiliates have been recognised for their outstanding achievements across a broad range of fields in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours List.
Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott congratulated the recipients on their honours.
"At the University of Sydney, we are privileged to witness pioneering research and a tremendous calibre of leadership on display every single day. Our institution thrives on a foundation of innovation, dedication, and academic excellence, and it is gratifying to see these qualities recognised in our community.
"Universities are at the heart of our country’s innovation ecosystem and these honours acknowledge that. I am also thrilled to have our educators recognised - we all know the importance of a great teacher."
"Today, we take pride in celebrating the remarkable achievements of our colleagues, students, and alumni who have been recognised with the 2024 Birthday Honours.
"As a community, we congratulate their successes and extend our wholehearted support as they continue to create impact and advance knowledge."
Alumni
Companion (AC) of the Order of Australia
- Sir Jonathan Mills AO (B.Mus. ’98)
For eminent service to international cultural leadership and diplomacy, to the performing arts, to philanthropic ventures, and to tertiary education. - Professor Karen Canfell (B.E.(Elec) ’91) For eminent service to medicine as an epidemiologist, particularly through cancer research, to tertiary education, and as a mentor and leader.
Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia
- The Honourable Gregory Ivan Combet AM (B.Ec. ’87, Dip.L.R.L.’91)
For distinguished service to the people and Parliament of Australia, and to the banking and superannuation industries..
Member (AM) of the Order of Australia
- Dr Bronwyn Maree Bancroft (M.S.A. ’03, M.V.A. ’07, Ph.D. ’19)
For significant service to the arts, and to the Indigenous community. - Dr George Patrick Bridger (M.B.B.S. ’60)
For significant service to medicine through otolaryngology head and neck surgery. - Emeritus Professor Thea Charlotte Brown (Dip.S.W. ’62, B.A. ’62) For significant service to social welfare, particularly through family violence and child protection research.
- Professor Kathleen Frances Clapham (B.A. ’81, Ph.D. ’90)
For significant service to Indigenous community health, to anthropology, and to tertiary education. - Clinical Associate Professor John Stanley Cullen (M.B.B.S. ’78)
For significant service to geriatric medicine as a clinician, researcher, health innovator and advocate. - Dr Eileen Gallery (M.D. ’80)
For significant service to nephrology, to obstetric medicine, and to tertiary education. - Dr Paul Lyttleton Gaudry (M.B.B.S. ’65, GradCertEdStudies ’01) For significant service to emergency and forensic medicine, and to professional associations.
- The late Dr Arnold Gillespie (B.Sc. ’57, M.B.B.S. ’62)
For significant service to medicine, particularly as an advocate for voluntary assisted dying. - Professor Emertia Heather Goodall (B.A. ’75, Ph.D. ’84)
For significant service to tertiary education, particularly social science, and to the Indigenous community. - Mr Philip Gregory Harrison (B.A. ’91, Grad.Dip.(Secondary) ’92) For significant service to youth, and to outdoor and environmental education.
- The Honourable Justice Graham Eric Hiley RFD (B.A. ’69, LL.B. ’72)
For significant service to the judiciary, to the law, and to the Indigenous community. - Mr Robert James Kelly (LL.B. ’73, LL.M. ’76)
For significant service to tertiary education, to the law, and to medical administration. - Mr Daniel Robert Meltz (LL.B. ’94, B.Ec.(Soc.Sc.) ’94)
For significant service to the law, particularly through international arbitration and dispute resolution. - Ms Julie Gay Millard (Dip.Hlth.Sc.(Nursing) ’92, B.N. ’93) For significant service to the mental health sector.
- Conjoint Professor Tracey Anne O’Brien (MHL ’02) For significant service to cancer medicine, to medical research and education, and to professional bodies.
- Dr William James Pigott (M.B.B.S. ’65)
For significant service to conservation and the environment, to medical education, and to international community health. - Associate Professor Carolyn Quadrio (Ph.D. ’98)
For significant service to psychiatry as a clinician, academic and mentor. - Dr Diana Bronwen Semmonds (M.B.B.S. ’77)
For significant service to ophthalmology, to regulatory bodies, and to professional organisations. - Professor John Howard Skerritt (B.Sc. ’81, Ph.D. ’84)
For significant service to public health administration and governance, and to scientific research. - The Honourable Jillian Gell Skinner (Hon DHlth.Sc. ’22)
For significant service to the people and Parliament of New South Wales, and to community health. - Mr Talal Yassine OAM (LL.M. ’99)
For significant service to business, and to the community.
Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia
- Professor Asha Clare Bowen (M.B.B.S. ’02)
For service to medicine in the field of clinical diseases. - Dr Penny Browne (M.B.B.S. ’80, M.H.L ’09) For service to medicine as a general practitioner.
- Mrs Carol Ann Bunton (Dip.Teach.(Primary) ’89, B.Ed.(Primary) ’92) For service to sport, particularly netball.
- Mr Michael Lawrence Cullen (B.Ec.(Soc.Sc.) ’95, LL.B. ’98, LLM ’05) For service to trade and international relations.
- Dr Francis Richard Doughty (B.V.Sc. ’62, Ph.D(Research) ’74) For service to veterinary science, and to the community.
- Mr John Francis Ford (B.A. ’79, LL.B. ’81)
For service to community health. - The Honourable Shelley Elizabeth Hancock (B.A. ’73, Dip.Ed. ’74)
For service to the people and Parliament of New South Wales. - Distinguished Professor Stuart Bruce Kaye (B.A. ’89, LL.B. ’91, LL.M. ’94)
For service to international law, and to tertiary education. - Dr Chi Wing Lai (M.B.B.S. ’65)
For service to medicine as a general practitioner, and to the community. - Associate Professor Sabaratnam Prathapan (M.Eng.Sc. ’85)
For service to tertiary education, and to the community. - Ms Barbara Ramjan (B.A. ’78, Grad.Dip.Crim. ’90, MHL ’03) For service to rowing, and to the law.
- Dr William Robert Ryall (B.Sc. ’64, Ph.D(Research) ’68) For service to conservation and the environment.
- Mrs Kathy Sharon Shand (LL.B. ’85, M.Int.S. ’07)
For service to the arts, and to the community. - Dr Damien John Stark (B.Sc. ’96)
For service to medicine in the field of microbiology. - Mr Michael Eric Titley (B.Sc.Agr. ’71, M.Sc.Agr. ’86)
For service to agriculture. - Dr Laurence John Upfold (B.A. ’59)
For service to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Public Service Medal
- Dr Warrick Jeffrey Fletcher (Ph.D. ’85)
For outstanding public service through fisheries research and the development and implementation of a holistic ecosystems-based approach to fisheries management. - Ms Jennifer Leanne Hazelton (Dip.Nutr.Diet ’88) For outstanding public service in delivering evidence-based food labelling standards and information for consumers.
- Ms Sonia Marshall (Grad.Dip.P.A. ’09)
For outstanding public service to the South Western Sydney Local Health District particularly in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. - Mr Marcus Ray (B.A. ’85, LL.B. ’87, LL.M. ’96)
For outstanding public service to planning regulation in NSW. - Dr John Murray Wright (M.B.B.S. ’81)
For outstanding public service to psychiatric and mental health care in NSW.
Conspicuous Service Cross
- Air Commodore Jarrod Lee Pendlebury (M.H.R. ’11, Ph.D. ’20)
For outstanding achievement as Military Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations.
"Universities are at the heart of our country’s innovation ecosystem and these honours acknowledge that. I am also thrilled to have our educators recognised - we all know the importance of a great teacher."
Staff
Officer of the Order of Australia
- Professor Thomas Maschmeyer (B.Sc. ’91, Ph.D. ’95)
For distinguished service to science as a researcher, innovator and educator, and business through pioneering commercial technologies. - Professor Donald Nutbeam
For distinguished service to public health, to tertiary education, and to professional associations and boards.
Member of the Order of Australia
- Professor Helen Kathryn Reddel (M.B.B.S. ’77, Ph.D. ’01)
For significant service to respiratory medicine, and to medical research.
To request an edit to the details of honours received by members of the University community please contact us.
A full list of those recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours can be found at the Governor-General’s website.
The University of Sydney has secured its highest ever ranking overall and continues to be rated as a top 20 global university in the 2025 QS World University Rankings.
A revolutionary approach to treating melanomas and major contributions to advancing immunisation, mental health, sound economic social policy, pain management and soil science were among the achievements of current University of Sydney staff individually honoured on Australia Day.
Congratulations to Professor Georgina Long AO and Professor Richard Scolyer AO from the University of Sydney and Co-Medical Directors of the Melanoma Institute, jointly named 2024 NSW Australian of the Year for their life-saving melanoma work.
