Dr David Theile (telephone 3831 0106), Queensland's first individual Olympic gold medallist and Queensland's only dual Olympic gold medallist from 1960 until 1996 when Keiran Perkins won his second gold, will receive an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree at a University of Queensland graduation ceremony on Thursday, August 23 at 6pm.
Dr Theile will receive the degree at a Mayne Hall ceremony in recognition of his distinguished career and his outstanding contribution to sport in Australia.
Dr Theile won gold medals for the 100metre backstroke event at the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956 and the Rome Olympics in 1960, when he also won silver as a member of Australia's first 4x100metre medley relay team. He graduated with honours in medicine in 1962. The University named the David Theile Pool in his honour.
About 500 people, including seven University medallists, are expected to graduate at two ceremonies on Thursday, from the following University faculties: Biological and Chemical Sciences, Engineering, Physical Sciences and Architecture, Health Sciences, Business, Economics and Law, and Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science.
- Also attending the 6pm ceremony will be UQ associate lecturer in occupational therapy Desleigh de Jonge (telephone 3365 2793), who is the University's first Master of Philosophy degree graduate.
Ms de Jonge completed a research thesis investigating the barriers encountered by people with disabilities using technology in the work place and the strategies they used to overcome these barriers. She undertook this research after working for 15 years with people with disabilities to identify their technology needs.
"Technology has the potential to allow people with disabilities to participate in the workplace and many other areas of life as long as we can identify ways it can happen," she said. "We have to ensure we keep an eye on things so people are not further isolated as technology continues to develop."
Ms de Jonge interviewed people with spinal cord injuries, vision impairment, cerebral palsy, neurological conditions and rheumatoid arthritis and examined how they integrated such computer-based technologies as text-to-speech software, voice recognition software and mouse emulators into their work environments. Her findings have been presented at conferences, published in international journals and she has written a report for the National Research on Disability program.
- At a second graduation ceremony on Thursday at 8.15pm, the title Alumnus of the Year 2001 will be conferred upon former Secretary of the Treasury Mr Edward (Ted) Evans AC.
Mr Evans (telephone 02 6238 3544 or 0418 481 893) graduated from The University of Queensland in 1969 with an honours Economics degree, and was awarded a University Medal. He joined the Board of the International Monetary Fund in Washington in 1989 as Executive Director representing Australia and a number of other countries, mainly in the Asia Pacific region. In May 1993, he returned to Australia to assume the position of Secretary to the Treasury and remained there until April 2001. He was a Board member of the Commonwealth Bank from 1993 to 1995 and of the Reserve Bank from 1993 to 2001.
Valedictorians at the two ceremonies are: Cecilia Shing (Bachelor of Applied Science [human movement studies]) - 6pm ceremony, and Jenny See Mun Chan (dual University medallist, Commerce/Laws, receiving a Medal in Laws this time) - 8.15pm.
Media: For further information contact UQ Communications - Moya Pennell telephone 07 3365 2846 or Jan King 07 3365 1120.
