Scientists honoured

ANU scientists Professor Tony McMichael and Dr Penny Olsen are among the honours recipients announced today as part of the 2011 Australia Day celebrations. Professor Tony McMichael is a leading expert in population health and climate change and heads a research program at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH). He has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his 'distinguished service to population health, particularly in the area of environmental impact.' He currently holds an Australia Fellowship (2007 - 2012) from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Professor McMichael played a central role in providing health risk assessments to the United Nations? Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and has been an advisor and consultant on environmental health issues with a number of international bodies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Bank. Dr Penny Olsen from the Research School of Biology has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her 'service to the conservation sciences through the study and documentation of Australian bird species and their history.' Dr Olsen is a researcher and author. She has written a number of books, is the editor of the Birds Australia quarterly magazine, Wingspan , and acts as a consultant to a number of various government departments. In 2009, Dr Olsen was awarded an Australia Council's Arts Literature Grant and has six times been the recipient of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales' Whitley Award.