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Tuesday, 28 January 2020

The University of Western Australia is celebrating the achievements of staff and graduates honoured in the Australian of the Year 2020 awards and in the Australia Day Honours List.

UWA obstetrics specialist Professor John Newnham was announced 2020 Senior Australian of the Year in the Australian of the Year 2020 awards.

Professor Newnham is recognised as one of the world’s leading authorities in the prevention of pre-term birth – the single greatest cause of death and disability in children up to five years of age. He has been instrumental in making Western Australia an international hotspot for research and clinical excellence in pregnancy and life before birth, and founded the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance – the world’s first national program of its kind.

Three UWA staff members and 14 graduates were also recognised in the Australia Day Honours List.

UWA Emeritus Professor John Bloomfield and UWA graduates Ilana Atlas and Ronald Patrick Dullard were among 59 Australians across the country to be recognised on the prestigious list with an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

UWA Emeritus Professor John Bloomfield, a leading sport and science academic was recognised for distinguished service to higher education in the field of sports science, and to professional sporting organisations. Professor Bloomfield has played a key role in the development of sport in Australia including the development of the Australian high-performance sport system.

Ilana Atlas was recognised for her distinguished service to the financial and manufacturing sectors, to education and the arts. Ms Atlas has enjoyed a strong career in financial services and is currently Non-Executive Director and Chair, Human Resources Committee with ANZ Banking Group. She has made a strong commitment to the community, in particular the arts and education sector.

Ronald Dullard was recognised for distinguished service to education in Western Australia, to local government, and to the community. Mr Dullard has held several senior positions across the education sector including The University of Notre Dame, Catholic Education Western Australia, Court Grammar School in Mundijong and in the WA government.

UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater said the UWA community is incredibly proud of its Australia Day recipients.

“Those honoured have given outstanding service to the community, providing sustained leadership over many years,” Professor Freshwater said.

“On the University’s behalf, I commend them all and thank them. They richly deserve their honours and they honour us.”

A full list of UWA recipients in the 2020 Australia Day Honours List is below:

UWA Australia Day 2020 Honours List recipients

Australian of the Year 2020 Awards

2020 Senior Australian of the Year

• Professor John Newnham, UWA Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

For distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or to humanity at large.

• UWA Emeritus Professor John Bloomfield
• Ms Ilana Atlas (BJuris ’76, LLB ’77), UWA graduate
• Mr Ronald Dullard (BA '78), UWA graduate

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

For service in a particular locality or field of activity or to a particular group.

• UWA Medical Coordinator, Rural Clinical School of Western Australia, Dr Anthony Mylius
• Dr Geoffrey Boughton (BE ’76, MEngSc ‘81) UWA graduate
• Melanie Champion de Crespigny (BA ‘74) UWA graduate
• Dr Ian Fairnie (BEd ‘75) UWA graduate
• Professor Raelene Frances (BA ’78, MA ’81) UWA graduate
• Dr Timothy Minchin (BA’96, DLitt ’13) UWA graduate
• Dr Errol Seymour (BE ’62, MEngSc ’64) UWA graduate
• Emeritus Professor Vivian Sunderland (PhD ’84) UWA graduate

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)

For service worthy of particular recognition.

• UWA Adjunct Senior Lecturer Gregory Keighery (BSc ‘72), School of Biological Sciences
• Professor Diana Egerton-Warburton (MBBS ’89) UWA graduate
• Associate Professor Cecily Freemantle (PhD ’03) UWA graduate
• Ian Hewson (BDSc ’81) UWA graduate
• Bronwen Keighery (BSc ’73, GradDipEd ’75) UWA graduate
• Associate Professor Maxwell Page (BSc ’72) UWA graduate

Media references

Jess Reid (UWA Media and Public Relations Advisor) 08 6488 6876

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