Emeritus Professor Maree Smith
Emeritus Professor Maree Smith
10 June 2019

A respected chronic pain researcher and a leading neuroscientist are among the roll call of University of Queensland community members recognised in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Emeritus Professor Maree Smith, a pain drug pioneer from the School of Biomedical Sciences, has received the highest national recognition for her work, named a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

Professor Linda Richards has been bestowed with an Order of Australia (AO) for her service to medical research and education in the field of developmental neurobiology.

UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj AC said the awards were well-deserved recognition of extraordinarily talented individuals.

“It is wonderful to see the tireless efforts of those who have pushed the boundaries of discovery and industry rewarded with national recognition,” Professor Høj said.

“Both Emeritus Professor Smith and Professor Linda Richards are innovators and champions – the University and indeed Australia have benefitted immensely from their work.”

Emeritus Professor Maree Smith is Director of the Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development (CIPDD) with significant expertise in biomedical discovery and translation, particularly in the pain field.

“For more than 20 years Emeritus Professor Smith has pursued translational research at UQ and played a primary role in the global biotech industry,” Professor Høj said.

“She has also made a major contribution to our pharmacy program, and has successfully advised dozens of Masters and PhD students.”

Professor Linda Richards (below) is the Deputy Director (Research) at the Queensland Brain Institute and head of the brain development and disorders laboratory.  

“Professor Richards has made an outstanding contribution to neuroscience and is a recognised world expert on the formation of the corpus callosum and how disruption in brain formation causes human developmental brain disorders and brain cancer,” Professor Høj said. 

“She is also passionate about public awareness of science and founded the Australian Brain Bee Challenge, a competition for high school students to learn about the brain.

“More than 30,000 high school students have participated in the challenge and students from Australia have won the international brain bee competition three times and placed in every event since 2006.

“Having trailblazers like Emeritus Professor Smith and Professor Richards in leadership roles at our institution sets an example to other young women who wish to pursue STEMM pathways.”  

UQ Senator and champion of industry and global female empowerment Kathy Hirschfeld has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her work particularly within the engineering and education sectors.

A Chemical Engineering graduate, Ms Hirschfeld chairs the UQ Advancement Committee, is a former president of the UN Women National Committee Australia, and generously supports a scholarship that encourages women to pursue engineering studies.

“Many other UQ community members have been named in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours and we congratulate them and celebrate their contributions.”

“I have great admiration for our alumni, staff and students who continue to create positive change in society through their leadership, research, teaching and other accomplishments.”

UQ community Queen’s Birthday honourees include*:

AC

Emeritus Professor Maree Smith AC (Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) ’76, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine) ’83)

AO (General Division)

Kathy Fagg AO (Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) ’82, Doctor of Chemical Engineering honoris causa ’16)

Associate Professor Alexander Stewart Forrest AO (Bachelor of Dental Science ’79, Grad Cert Education ’96, Master Dental Science ’99)

The Honourable Justice Debra Ann Mullins AO (Bachelor of Commerce ’77, Bachelor of Laws ’80, Master Laws ’87, Master Laws (Adv) ’99)

Dr Gregory Myles Powell AO (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ’70)

Professor Linda Jane Richards AO

Air Vice-Marshal Tracy Lee Smart AO (Master of Public Health ’07)

Emeritus Professor Graeme Turner AO

Mrs Kay Ellen Van Norton Poche AO (Doctor of The University honoris causa ’16)

Professor Mark Von Itzstein AO (Queensland Certificate in Animal Husbandry ’76)

AM (General Division)

Professor Bruce Black AO (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ’70, Doctor of Medicine ’98)

Professor Victor James Callan AM

Adjunct Professor Sandra Creamer AM

Emeritus Professor Richard Allen Fotheringham AM (Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) ’71, Master Arts ’75, Doctor of Philosophy ’87)

Kathy Hirschfeld AM (Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) ’82)

Emeritus Professor Gabriel Adelin Moens AM (Grad Cert Education ’98)

Mr Stephen Moore AM (Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) ’06)

Dr Bradley Michael Norman AM

Stephen Wayne Sheaffe AM (Bachelor of Laws ’83, Master Laws ’97)

Dr William Francis Sultmann AM (Bachelor of Educational Studies ’76, Bachelor of Arts ’78, Master Educational Studies ’79, Doctor of Philosophy (Education) ’86)

Emeritus Professor Alasdair McDowall AM

AM (Military Division)

Professor Michael Reade 

OAM (General Division)

Professor Peta Ashworth AM (Graduate Certificate in Management ’00, Graduate Diploma in Business Administration ’02, Master of Business Administration (Executive) ’03)

Mr Damien Leigh Atkinson (Bachelor of Arts ’86, Bachelor of Laws (Honours) ’89)

Desmond John Hogan (Associate in Commerce ’66)

Dr Robert Stevenson (Steven) Nisbet (Bachelor of Science ’68, Grad Dip Education ’69, Master Educational Studies ’81)

Daniel Leonard O'Connor (Bachelor of Educational Studies ’90, Master Laws ’98)

*If you know of a member of the university community honoured in the Queen’s Birthday awards that does not appear on our list, please let us know by emailing communications@uq.edu.auso that we can help celebrate their success.

 Media: UQ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, 3365 1120.