Exceptional alumni in the spotlight

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Tags: Alumni Events, summer-2011

Courting the Greats from The University of Queensland on Vimeo.

Founder and Executive Director of the Hear and Say program, Dr Dimity Dornan AM, has been named the 2011 UQ Alumnus of the Year.

The 2010 Queenslander of the Year was honoured at the annual Courting the Greats gala dinner on September 24 at the UQ Centre, alongside the winners of the International Alumnus of the Year and the Young Alumnus of the Year awards.

Courting the Greats celebrates the achievements of UQ’s alumni community and pays tribute to those who have achieved distinction in their fields and recognition among their peers.

This year’s event also recognised five Graduates of the Year from the class of 2011 – each of whom received perfect grades throughout their degrees.

“The diversity of this year’s applicants was testament to the success of our graduates both here and overseas in a wide range of disciplines,” UQ Pro Vice-Chancellor (Advancement) Clare Pullar said.

Guests were entertained by ballroom dancers, the Emmanuel College Pipe Band, the School of Music’s Tropical Dance Orchestra, and also took part in a private viewing at the UQ Art Museum.

Dr Dornan, a speech pathologist, founded Hear and Say in 1992.

The not-for-profit organisation assists children with hearing impairments so they can learn to listen and speak through advanced hearing technology. She is also the Founder of Hear and Say Research Innovation and Hear and Say Worldwide.

Dr Yuichi Murakami and Edwin Khew were named the joint winners of the International Alumnus of the Year award.

The co-founder, CEO, and Managing Director of IUT Global Pte Ltd, Mr Khew is recognised as a leader in advancing clean energy and renewable energy sources in South East Asia.

Dr Murakami is a distinguished academic from Fukushima University who has dedicated his research career to understanding cultural differences between Australia and Japan. He and his students also generously raised funds for the Vice-Chancellor’s Emergency Student Welfare Fund following the January floods.

Also recognised at the event was Young Alumnus of the Year Dr Kala Mulqueeny, who has made a global impact as a lawyer, academic and teacher.

By Jan King and Allison Rock

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