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UNSW community recognised in 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours

Professor Mary-Louise McLaws and Dr Kerry Chant, recognised for their contribution to public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, are among members of the UNSW community to be honoured.

Published on the 14 Jun 2022 by Yolande Hutchinson
Professor Mary-Louise McLaws (left) and Dr Kerry Chant have been recognised in the annual Queen's Birthday honours. Photo: UNSW.

UNSW academics, alumni and former colleagues have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours. UNSW warmly congratulates everyone who has been honoured.

Professor Mary-Louise McLaws and Dr Kerry Chant, who provided expert advice on COVID-19 to Australians throughout the pandemic, are among several members of the UNSW community to become Officers of the Order of Australia.

Prof. McLaws from UNSW Medicine & Health is an advisor to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Clinical Excellence Commission, providing advice on infection control programs and interventions to improve patient safety. Her expert commentary on COVID-19 kept Australians informed during the pandemic. 

“I’m delighted to have worked with UNSW since 1986, as I was finishing a degree and assisting the late Prof. David Cooper AC, who was a great trainer,” Prof. McLaws said.

“Since the 1990s I have learnt to teach and mentor PhD students. I’ve had the opportunity to not only help the School of Population Health and Faculty of Medicine & Health, but also the University. For me, UNSW has been a wonderful place to learn, teach and do research.”

UNSW alumna Dr Chant is NSW's Chief Health Officer and provided COVID-19 updates to the people of NSW during the daily NSW government press conferences. She has made significant contributions to eliminate HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, as well as being pivotal in containing the spread of the swine flu.

“This honour is a tribute to my many colleagues in NSW Health for the outstanding work they have done and continue to do to keep the community safe throughout the COVID pandemic,” Dr Chant said. 

UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs, congratulated honourees from the UNSW community.

“We are incredibly proud of all staff and alumni who have been recognised for their significant contributions to Australian society, across a broad range of fields. Special congratulations go to those in the medical field who have been recognised for their work during what was a very challenging year. Our experts have played an important role in guiding and supporting the COVID-19 pandemic response, as well as ongoing essential health services,” Prof. Brungs said.

Scientia Professor Vlado Perkovic, Dean of UNSW Medicine & Health, said: “Congratulations to all UNSW staff and alumni who have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours list. I’m particularly proud of the UNSW Medicine & Health staff who have been recognised for their ongoing contribution to medical research. It was wonderful to see Professor Mary-Louise McLaws honoured this year, who provided Australians expert advice throughout the pandemic – a testament to her dedication to population health.”

UNSW recipients of Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022 include:

Officer (AO) in the General Division

  • Dr Kerry Chant PSM (MBBS '87 MHA '91 MPH '95), for distinguished service to the people of New South Wales through public health administration and governance, and to medicine.
  • Professor Basil Donovan FAHMS, for distinguished service to medicine in the field of sexual health through tertiary education, research and advisory roles.
  • Professor Mary-Louise McLaws, for distinguished service to medical research, particularly to epidemiology and infection prevention, to tertiary education, and to health administration.
  • Scientia Professor Guy Marks FAHMS, for distinguished service to respiratory medicine and research, and to tertiary education.
  • Emeritus Professor Peter Saunders FASSA, for distinguished service to tertiary education, particularly through social policy research and development.

Member (AM) in the General Division

  • Emeritus Professor Deborah Brennan, for significant service to social policy research, to gender equality, and to tertiary education.
  • Professor Richard Cohn, for significant service to paediatric cancer medicine, and to professional organisations.
  • Professor Phoebe Phillips, for significant service to pancreatic cancer research.

Medal (OAM) in the General Division

  • Dr Ann Jardine, for service to tertiary education.

Here is the list of UNSW alumni who received Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022.

Find the full list of recipients on the Governor-General’s website.