Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, The Most Reverend John Bathersby, DD, and Queensland’s Governor, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, AC, are among six recipients of University of Queensland honorary doctorates this year.
The awards, based on factors including community service, career distinction and contribution to the University, will be presented as part of the University’s main annual graduation ceremonies between Monday, December 4, and Friday, December 15, this year.
Additional awards being presented at ceremonies include the Gatton Gold Medal and a Distinguished Service Medal.
A leading consultant in agricultural and veterinary science, beef cattle production, feedlot industry, and R&D, Professor Keith Entwistle, will receive the Gatton Gold Medal at a Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science graduation ceremony in the UQ Gatton Gymnasium on Friday, December 8, at 10am.
Professor Entwistle was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of New England (UNE) from 1993 until 2001 before founding his own consultancy business, Keith Entwistle Consulting Services, based in Armidale, New South Wales.
Kay Whitfield, UQ staff member for 36 years and a member of Senate, elected by the non-graduate staff of the University, for a decade, will receive a Distinguished Service Medal at a Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science graduation ceremony on Wednesday, December 13, at 11am.
Ms Whitfield was a University Senator from 1995 until 2005, and a member of the University’s Building and Grounds Committee from 1995 until 1998, the Honorary Degrees Committee in 1996 and the Standing Committee for Equity, Diversity and the Status of Women from 1999 until 2005.
The bulk of her career at UQ from 1969 until 2001 was served in various clerical and secretarial positions at the then Veterinary Science Farm.
From 2001 to 2005, Ms Whitfield was a member of the Voice Operations Team on the St Lucia campus. She was Secretary of the General Staff Association from 1993 to 2005, regularly arranging informal information sessions for external members of Senate to meet with University staff.
The six honorary doctorate recipients and the ceremonies at which they will be presented with their awards are listed below:
• Jackie Huggins, AM, author, historian and speaker, has been a tireless worker and advocate in Indigenous employment, health and education for many years.
Ms Huggins, of the Bidjara (Central Queensland) and Birri-Gubba Juru (North Queensland) peoples, completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in history and anthropology from UQ and an Honours degree in history and women`s studies and a Diploma of Education from Flinders University.
She holds many leadership positions in organisations across the country and was an Executive Member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (1994–2000); Chair of the Queensland Domestic Violence Council (2001); Commissioner for Queensland for the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families (1997); and a former member of the ATSIC Review Panel (2003).
She wrote Auntie Rita (with Rita Huggins 1994) and Sistergirl (1999), is editor of the Australian Journal of Indigenous Education and a member of the editorial board of Life Writing.
In 2000, Ms Huggins received the Premier`s Millennium Award for Excellence in Indigenous Affairs and in 2001, was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her work with Indigenous people, particularly reconciliation, literacy, women`s issues and social justice.
She will be presented with a Doctor of the University honoris causa at a Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences graduation ceremony on Monday, December 4, at 11am.
• The Most Reverend John Bathersby, DD (Doctor of Divinity), Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane since 1992, completed his training for the priesthood in 1961 and was ordained in his home Parish of Stanthorpe. His first seven years as a priest were spent as an Associate Pastor and Administrator at Goondiwindi before being sent to Rome for further studies in 1969, where he completed a licentiate in Theology at the Gregorian University, and a Diploma in Spirituality at the Terasianum University.
He was appointed to Pius XII Seminary in Brisbane where he served as Spiritual Director for seven years before returning to Rome for a Doctorate in Theology/Spirituality in 1979. He returned to the Seminary until he was appointed Bishop of Cairns in 1986.
Archbishop Bathersby was a member of the International Catholic–Methodist Dialogue from 1989–1995 and a member of the executive of the Confederation of Bishops` Conferences of Oceania from 1991 to May 1994. He is Co-Chair of the Australian Catholic–Uniting Church Dialogue. From 1997 to 2000, he was appointed President of the National Council of Churches in Australia. In January 2001, he was appointed Co-Chair of the International Anglican–Roman Catholic Working Group. He is Deputy President of the Australian Catholic Bishops` Conference, Chair of the Bishops` Committee for Justice, Development, Ecology and Peace, and Chair of Catholic Earthcare Australia.
Reverend Bathersby was a member of UQ’s Senate from 1992 to 2005 and appointed Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane in 1992.
He will be presented with a Doctor of Letters honoris causa at a Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences graduation ceremony on Monday, December 4, at 2pm.
• Professor Lloyd Sansom, AO, has been Chair of the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee since 2001 and Chair of the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council since 1991.
He held academic posts for 38 years, retiring in 2000 as the Head of the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at the University of South Australia where he is now an Emeritus Professor. His research interests span pharmacokinetics, biopharmaceutics and the Quality Use of Medicines.
He has been instrumental in raising public awareness about the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, involved in the development of Australia`s National Medicines Policy and a member of the Pharmaceutical Sub-Committee of the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee since 1995.
He will be presented with a Doctor of Science honoris causa at a Faculty of Health Sciences graduation ceremony on Wednesday, December 6, at 11am.
• Elizabeth Nosworthy, AO, was a commercial lawyer for more than two decades and the first woman President of the Queensland Law Society (QLS) (1986–87) before becoming a full-time, non-executive company director. She currently holds 10 positions with commercial, government and charitable bodies and has served on almost 30 additional boards and councils.
She chairs Commander Communications Limited and the Queensland Water Commission and is a Deputy Chair of Babcock and Brown Limited and the Clean Coal Technology Board.
She is a Director of Ventracor Limited; GPT Group; PF Limited; and the Endeavour Foundation.
Ms Nosworthy holds a Bachelor of Arts (1965) and Bachelor of Laws (1969) from UQ where she has been an Adjunct Professor of Law with the TC Beirne School of Law since 1998. She also holds a Master of Laws (1971) from the University of London.
She became Chancellor of Bond University in 1991 and is believed to be the first woman to achieve such a high office at a Queensland university.
She carved out a distinguished legal career with highlights including partnerships with leading Brisbane law firms (including her own), and inclusion in The Bulletin magazine’s 1989 list of the 50 Best and Brightest Lawyers.
Ms Nosworthy is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and in 2001, won the Institute’s (Queensland) Gold Medal for an Outstanding Director. Other honours include a Centenary Medal (2003) for service to Australian society in business leadership and the QLS President’s Award (2003) for a personal outstanding contribution to the advancement of law and justice.
She will be presented with a Doctor of the Laws honoris causa at a Faculty of Business, Economics and Law graduation ceremony on Monday, December 11, at 11am.
• Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, AC, Queensland Governor since early 2003, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from UQ where she later spent 14 years teaching Introduction to Law, Criminal Law, Administrative Law and Legal Aspects of Social Work.
She has been Principal and Chief Executive Officer of The Women`s College within the University of Sydney; founding Chair and Chief Executive Officer, National Childcare Accreditation Council; Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner; Queensland Director, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission; and inaugural Director, Women`s Information Service Queensland, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Her community and professional memberships include: member, Australian delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Geneva; US State Department visitor; National President, Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital; President, Women`s Cricket Australia; Chair, National Breast Cancer Centre Advisory Network; Director, Australian Children`s Television Foundation Board; Vice-President, Queensland Council for Civil Liberties; and member, Legal Committee, Childhood Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia (CAPFA).
She will be presented with a Doctor of Laws honoris causa at a Faculty of Business, Economics and Law ceremony on Wednesday, December 13, at 6pm.
• Dr John Fenwick, Executive Director (Structures) in the Department of Main Roads Queensland, was elected to UQ’s Senate as a Member of Convocation from 1990 until 1992 and from 1999 to 2005. He has been an Adjunct Professor in the University’s School of Engineering since 1996.
He graduated Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) in 1965 with first-class honours and a University Medal and received a Doctorate in Philosophy (Structural Engineering) from the University of Oxford in 1971 after winning a Rhodes Scholarship in 1967.
He is a bridge specialist and was a member of the project team for the design and supervision of the Riverside Express, Captain Cook Bridge, Houghton Highway and Gateway Bridge among many others.
He was an instrumental member of Senate’s Buildings and Grounds Committee from 1990 to 1992 and since 1999, and the Professorial Promotions Committee between 2002 and 2005.
Dr Fenwick served terms as State and Federal President of the Concrete Institute of Australia, which appointed him an Honorary Life Member in 2003. He has been a specialist advisor on aid projects in Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and China, and represented Australia on the US Strategic Highway Research Program between 1989 and 1992 with its research budget of US$200 million.
He has been the Deputy Chair on the Board of Trustees, Brisbane Grammar School, since 1998 and is also the Deputy Chair for the Australian Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels.
Dr Fenwick was a Senate representative on the Engineering Faculty Board from 1990 to 1992 and the Faculty of Engineering, Physical Sciences and Architecture Board from 1999 to 2005. He was also Senate representative on the Emmanuel College Council from 1999 to 2005.
As a strong sponsor of postgraduate research projects at a number of universities, he was instrumental in the establishment of a Main Roads Chair in Engineering at UQ.
He will be presented with a Doctor of Engineering honoris causa at a Faculty of Engineering, Physical Sciences and Architecture ceremony on Friday, December 15, at 6pm.
Media inquiries: Shirley Glaister at UQ Communications (3365 2339).
