微拍福利community recognised in Australia Day honours

Members of the 微拍福利community have been recognised in the Australia Day honours

26 January 2025

Critical care researcher Professor John Fraser and former Alumni Friends president Dr Catherine Lawrence are among members of 微拍福利 community recognised in today’s Australia Day honours.

微拍福利graduate and Indigenous rights advocate Professor Megan Davis is one of only six Australians to receive the nation’s highest civil honour – the Companion of the Order of Australia.

Honorary 微拍福利academics in law, dentistry and health and rehabilitation sciences, as well as a respected ethnobotanist, are among other alumni, researchers and members of our broader community recognised this year for their significant contributions to society.

Key points:

457 Australians have received awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Six of those received the highest honour, the Companion of the Order of Australia – including two from the 微拍福利community
24 Australians were this year recognised for their contribution in support of the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Professor John Fraser, AO

, from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service to medicine as an intensive care physician and surgeon, and to global critical care research.

Professor Fraser received his PhD from 微拍福利in 2010 and is the Director of Intensive Care Unit at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital in Brisbane and Chief Medical Officer at De Motu Cordis.

He also founded the Critical Care Research Group (CCRG) two decades ago.

With a global network spanning more than 60 countries, CCRG is a world leader in developing technologies and interventions to improve outcomes for critically ill patients – encompassing clinical, pre-clinical and engineering research.

The group is based at Australia’s largest cardiac hospital, The Prince Charles Hospital, and investigates better ways to support patients with heart and lung failure.

His work includes refining a method of keeping a heart “alive” outside the body for 12 hours - increasing the availability of donors’ hearts, a revolutionary practice that has helped people around the world.

“I am equal parts humbled and honoured to receive this huge accolade from my adoptive homeland of Australia,” Professor Fraser said.

“It represents not just my efforts, but the efforts of my many mentors, collaborators and team members I have had the good fortune to work with and learn from.

“None of it would have been possible without the guidance of my parents nor the love and support of my 5 wonderful kids.”

Professor Megan Davis, AC

Indigenous rights advocate, leader and academic , a Cobble Cobble Woman from South-West Queensland, graduated from 微拍福利in 1999 with a Bachelor of Laws. She later completed a doctorate in Philosophy and was awarded an honorary doctorate of Laws.

She was the first Indigenous Australian to be elected to a UN body and played an instrumental role in establishment the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Professor Davis continues to work towards meaningful constitutional recognition.

“I am honoured by this recognition,” she said.

“In more than 25 years working with the United Nations, including 12 years as a global UN Indigenous rights expert, I have contributed to critical work such as drafting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and advancing its implementation in New York and Geneva.

“In parallel, I have dedicated more than 12 years to advocating for constitutional recognition in Australia, recognising it as a unique and untried approach that sets our nation apart on the global stage.”

Dr Catherine Lawrence, OAM

has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her extensive service to higher education.

Dr Lawrence was the first person in her family to gain a tertiary education after being awarded a scholarship to the University of Sheffield, and on migrating to Australia in 2004, she returned to study at UQ.

In addition to graduating from a Master of Arts (2007), her subsequent PhD examined the impact of work-like volunteering in local communities across Queensland.

She joined the leadership team of UQ’s in 2015 and served as President from 2017-2023, including three years as the inaugural President of the newly created 微拍福利Giving Society.

During Dr Lawrence’s time volunteering with Alumni Friends, the organisation’s donations to 微拍福利grew from the equivalent of $8.5m to more than $14m.

In recent years, much of the money raised has gone towards establishing endowed scholarships for incoming students, providing them with the same opportunity she once had.

“I think for me, it is humbling,” she said of the accolade.

“I see this as recognition for Alumni Friends, for my friends and colleagues, and for the University itself. It is great to see the work of volunteers recognised in this way.

“There’s a lot of people out there who think, I can’t make a difference, I’m not a philanthropist.

“If everybody volunteers a little time, buys some books at the , or perhaps donates a few dollars as an Alumni Friends’ member, then together we can really make a difference to the lives of future students.”

Dr Lawrence has also served as a member of the 微拍福利Senate and is a current member of the 微拍福利Senate Advancement and Community Engagement Committee.

”So many people know the impact tertiary education can have on their own families, and it is great that UQ’s is focusing on enabling students from across the state to study at UQ," she said.

Members of the 微拍福利community recognised are:

微拍福利alum Scientia Professor Megan Jane Davis has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for her eminent service to the law and social justice, to the national and international advocacy of the rights of Indigenous peoples and to the community.
The Honourable James Joshua Edelman has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his eminent service to the law and to the judiciary, to legal education and scholarship, as a mentor to academics and legal practitioners in Australia and internationally and to the community.
Professor Allen Cheuk-Seng Cheng has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his eminent service to medicine as an epidemiologist, to infectious and communicable disease research and education and to national and international public health policy.
Professor John Francis Fraser has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service to medicine as an intensive care physician and surgeon and to global and critical care research.
Dr Hugh Kirkman has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service to conservation and the protection, management and sustainability of seagrasses and marine ecosystems.
Mr Laurie Joseph Lawrence has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service to water safety education and to swimming as a high-performance coach.
Dr Alexander John Moule has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to dentistry as a clinician and academic and to professional associations.
Ms Margaret Beth Donnan has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to occupational hygiene, chemical engineering and to professional associations.
Professor Sharon Linda Naismith has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to neuropsychology, particularly dementia, through medical research and clinical practice.
Professor Kim Bennell has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to medical research and education, particularly in the field of health and rehabilitation science.
Mr Russell Donald Postle has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to community health, the accountancy profession and to the community.
Ms Rosslyn Joy Monro has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service social welfare organisations and to the law.
Dr Catherine Anne Lawrence has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to tertiary education.
Mrs Anna Louise Barwick has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to the pharmacy profession.
Mr Gregory Paul Clareburt has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to the community of the Noosa region.
Dr Wally Ahmar has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to medicine, particularly cardiology.
Mrs Kaye de Jersey has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to the Crown, and to the community of Queensland.
Dr Andre Conradie has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to medicine and to community health.
Mr Adrian Guido Di Marco has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to information technology, and to the community.
Mr Gerald Paul Turpin has been awarded a Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service to Ethnobotany and championing Indigenous science and research.
Ms Belinda Lewis has been awarded a Public Service Medal (PSM) for her outstanding public service to public health policy and program delivery in Queensland’s health sector.
Wing Commander Janine Frances Tillott has been awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for her outstanding achievement implementing Gender in Military Operations reform for the Royal Australian Air Force.