University of Adelaide Celebrates Honorees from Within Its Community
Among the recipients are six Members of the Order of Australia (AM), 12 Medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) and five Public Service Medals.
“I congratulate the members of the University of Adelaide community – alumni, staff, former staff, affiliates and friends – who have been recognised for their diverse and valued contributions to our community in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours,” said Professor Peter Høj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide.
“Those named continue to lead in their chosen fields, improving our society through their contributions to public health, science and public service.”
Adjunct Professor of Population Health in the University’s School of Public Health, Professor Katina D’Onise, who was recognised for her work in public health, joins the Order of Australia; as does the late Dr Arnold Gillespie, former Associate Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and orthodontics instructor Dr Colin Twelftree OAM.
Professor D’Onise’s King’s Birthday Honors recognition includes being added onto the ongoing and permanent COVID-19 Honour Roll. She is joined in this honour by University of Adelaide alumni Dr Geoffrey Higgins (AM), Dr Stephanie Davis (PSM) and Mr Andrew MacDonald (PSM), were also recognised for their contributions to Australia during the pandemic.
Notable King’s Birthday Honours recipients from the University’s community include:
Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Professor Katina D’Onise – For significant service to public health through translational research, and policy and legislative reform.
Professor D’Onise has been a leader in public health for a number of years as a general practitioner and now public health physician and epidemiologist. Currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Adelaide’s School of Public Health, Professor D’Onise has held positions on the SA Primary Health Care Advisory Committee, Aboriginal Affairs Executive Committee, Australian Association of Cancer Registries and the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Committee. In 2015, she was named Director of SA Health’s Epidemiology Branch and was the Inaugural Director of the Prevention and Population Health Branch in 2020. She was also the Executive Director Communicable Disease Control Branch’s COVID-19 Operations in 2020.
The late Dr Arnold Gillespie – For significant service to medicine, particularly as an advocate for voluntary assisted dying.
The late Dr Gillespie was an Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology from 1973 to 1999 and a Reader at the Robinson Research Institute in the 1970s. He joined the University after working as a Lecturer of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of London, from 1969 to 1970. During his career, he authored 26 medical publications. Dr Gillespie was the founder of the Doctors for Assisted Dying Choice (formerly Doctors for AMA Neutrality on VAD), serving as national convenor for 15 years. He was also a member of several local voluntary assisted dying advocacy groups, including the SA Voluntary Euthanasia Society.
Dr Colin Twelftree OAM – For significant service to orthodontics, to education and to professional associations.
Dr Twelftree has been an instructor in the Begg Course in Orthodontics at the University of Adelaide since 1982. He was also a founding trustee for the Foundation for Dental Education and Research and a visiting instructor with the Orthodontic Postgraduate Program from 1988 to 2020. Dr Twelftree is a life member of the Australian Society of Orthodontists and Australian Begg Society of Orthodontists, having held key positions in both organisations. He is also a Fellow of several international dental organisations and has been a member of the Australia Vietnam Volunteers Resource Group since 2009.
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Dr Jonathan Rogers – For service to dentistry in a range of roles.
Dr Rogers is an alum of the University of Adelaide, and also worked as Clinical Tutor, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Clinical Lecturer in the School of Dentistry from 2007 to 2016. Dr Rogers established his own practice in 1976.
Dr Richard Johnson – For service to medicine, and to hospital administration.
Dr Johnson, a former University of Adelaide lecturer, has been a gastroenterologist and hepatologist since 1985. He was a senior visiting gastroenterologist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital until 2017 and has also been a board member of the North Eastern Community Hospital from 2000 to 2020. In that time, he served as deputy chair from 2000 to 2011 and chair from 2011 to 2015, as well as chair of the medical executive committee from 2000 to 2020.