Faculty community awarded in Queen’s Birthday Honours list

14 Jun 2019

A respected chronic pain researcher and an Indigenous health philanthropist were among UQ’s Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences community members recognised in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Emeritus Professor Maree Smith
Emeritus Professor Maree Smith

Emeritus Professor Maree Smith, a pain drug pioneer, and UQ School of Pharmacy alumnus and academic received the highest national recognition for her work, named a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

Emeritus Professor Smith is an expert in biomedical discovery and translation, and worked in the UQ School of Pharmacy for over 28 years as a lecturer and researcher.

She was instrumental in developing innovative courses and advised many successful Masters and PhD students.

Co-founder of the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, Kay van Norton Poche AO was awarded for distinguished service to the community as a benefactor and supporter of Indigenous health and medical research initiatives.

Kay van Norton Poche AO and her husband Greg Poche AO donated $10 million to establish the UQ Poche Centre in 2015, after funding sister centres at the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the University of Western Australia and Flinders University in Adelaide and Alice Springs.

The Centre brings together Indigenous and health expertise across UQ, and works collaboratively with Indigenous community organisations and health providers, on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

UQ Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Executive Dean Professor Bruce Abernethy congratulated the recipients on their tireless contributions.

“The diversity of work recognised demonstrates the significant impact current and previous staff, alumni and philanthropists have had on the University, Faculty and the community.”

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences community Queen’s Birthday honourees include*:
AC

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

AO

Kay van Norton Poche AO (co-founder of the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health) was awarded for distinguished service to the community as a benefactor and supporter of Indigenous health and medical research initiatives.

Associate Professor Alex Forrest AO (Bachelor of Dental Science ’79, Grad Cert Education ’96, Master Dental Science ’99) was awarded for distinguished service to dentistry, particularly to forensic odontology, and to education in the field of head and neck anatomy.

Honorary Professor Karim Khan AO (School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences) was awarded for distinguished service to sport and exercise medicine, and to the promotion of physical activity for community health.

OAM

Pauline Harvey-Short OAM (Bachelor of Human Movement Studies ‘84, Master of Philosophy (Human Movement Studies) ’16) was awarded for service to sport, and to education.

Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey OAM (School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work) was awarded for significant service to nursing, to medical education, and to community health.

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

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