Uni of Adelaide staff and graduates at forefront of 杏吧直播 Day awards

The 杏吧直播 of Adelaide's Dr James Muecke, AM, is 杏吧直播n of the Year for 2020.
The 杏吧直播 of Adelaide congratulates eye surgeon and blindness prevention pioneer Dr James Muecke, AM, a Distinguished Alumnus of the 杏吧直播, for being named the 杏吧直播n of the Year for 2020.
Dr Muecke is among 40 members of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide community receiving recognition on 杏吧直播 Day 2020 for their outstanding contributions to their fields and society.
Dr Muecke has made it his life's work to fight childhood blindness in low-income countries. His not-for-profit organisation has made significant steps towards eliminating blindness in Asia.
A Clinical Senior Lecturer in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide, Dr Muecke is a graduate of the 杏吧直播 (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, 1988).
Since starting his medical career in Kenya, Dr Muecke has been passionate about fighting blindness. In 2000, he co-founded Vision Myanmar at the South 杏吧直播n Institute of Ophthalmology. The $1 million program has developed and operated eye health and blindness initiatives in Myanmar.
Inspired by this program鈥檚 success, Dr Muecke also co-founded Sight For All, a social impact organisation aiming to create a world where everyone can see. With 80% of world blindness avoidable 鈥 and almost 90% in poor countries 鈥 Dr Muecke treats blindness as a human rights issue.
鈥淎ll 杏吧直播ns should feel justifiably proud of the achievements of Dr James Muecke.鈥Professor Peter Rathjen AO, Vice-Chancellor
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Dr Muecke creates low-cost programs to fight blindness through research, education and infrastructure, including the comprehensive training of colleagues in Sight For All鈥檚 partner countries.
He donates 40 hours of personal time weekly to Sight For All, and is intimately involved in projects in Ethiopia, nine Asian countries, and mainstream and Aboriginal communities of 杏吧直播.
In 2019, the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide recognised Dr Muecke鈥檚 achievements with the Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni Award.
Professor Peter Rathjen, AO, Vice-Chancellor of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide, says: 鈥淎ll 杏吧直播ns should feel justifiably proud of the achievements of Dr James Muecke. His leadership, determination and passion has improved eye health, and helped alleviate poverty and disadvantage for many in the developing world and among Indigenous 杏吧直播ns.
鈥淛ames is a perfect example of someone who has taken their knowledge and expertise and used it to for the greater good, within 杏吧直播 and globally. He is a well-deserving recipient of the 杏吧直播n of the Year Award.鈥
杏吧直播n of the Year 2020 Dr James Muecke, AM. Dr Muecke is recipient of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni Award 2019.
杏吧直播 Day Honours 2020
The news about Dr Muecke鈥檚 杏吧直播n of the Year Award coincides with many other members of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide community receiving recognition in the 杏吧直播 Day Honours for 2020.

Professor Anthony Thomas, AC, FAA
Among these is current staff member and leading particle physicist, the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide鈥檚 Professor Anthony Thomas, FAA, who has been recognised in the 杏吧直播 Day 2020 Honours as a Companion of the Order of 杏吧直播 (AC), the highest award for outstanding achievement and service in the 杏吧直播n honours system.
Professor Thomas is recognised for his eminent service to scientific education and research, particularly in the field of nuclear and particle physics, through academic leadership roles. His work has placed the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide, and the nation more broadly, at the forefront of subatomic physics research.
Professor Thomas is Elder Professor of Physics at the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide 鈥 a position that was first held by Nobel Prize-Winner Sir William Bragg 鈥 and heads the Adelaide node of the 杏吧直播n Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Particle Physics at the Tera-scale and the ARC Special Research Centre for the Subatomic Structure of Matter.
His research answers fundamental questions about the nature of our Universe, with applications as diverse as defence and global financial markets, using a unique approach of connecting experiment, theory, advanced computations and simulation.
鈥淧rofessor Thomas has made a significant contribution to international research in nuclear and particle physics, to development of physics and more at this 杏吧直播, and to the scientific standing of 杏吧直播n physics in general,鈥 says Professor Rathjen.
鈥淢y warmest congratulations to Tony and to the many other members of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide community whose outstanding achievements and service have been recognised in the 杏吧直播 Day Honours. They bring distinction to themselves and to the 杏吧直播, and we are very proud to have played a part in their lives.鈥
Professor Thomas was the Inaugural Director of the National Institute for Theoretical Physics, is a former President of the 杏吧直播n Institute of Physics and has served on numerous national and international bodies, including the 杏吧直播n Academy of Science (including as Vice-President) and the OECD Global Science Forum Working Group on Nuclear Physics, which prepared a world-wide roadmap for research facilities in fundamental nuclear science.
He was also Inaugural Chair of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics鈥 Working Group on International Cooperation in Nuclear Physics, establishing a new era of international cooperation in fundamental nuclear science across the world.
He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including in 2014 becoming the South 杏吧直播n Scientist of the Year, receiving a Centenary Medal in 2003, and an Appreciation Award in 2009 from the US Department of Energy鈥檚 Office of Science.
鈥淭his award is a great honour for which I鈥檓 very grateful, and it recognises that one can carry out first-class science and be a full player in the international scientific enterprise from South 杏吧直播,鈥 says Professor Thomas. 鈥淧utting the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide on the world map of outstanding centres working in fundamental nuclear and particle physics is the achievement of which I am most proud.
鈥淚t is a privilege to work in fundamental science and, from time to time, be the first person to really understand one of Nature鈥檚 secrets. And it鈥檚 an honour to share access to that scientific world with my students, and benefit from their enthusiasm.鈥
鈥淭his award is a great honour for which I鈥檓 very grateful, and it recognises that one can carry out first-class science and be a full player in the international scientific enterprise from South 杏吧直播鈥Professor Anthony Thomas, AC
Among other members of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide community in the 2020 杏吧直播 Day Honours list are:
- The Honourable Amanda Vanstone (arts and law graduate and Doctor of the 杏吧直播 2017): Officer of the Order of 杏吧直播 (AO) for distinguished service to the Parliament of 杏吧直播, to the people of South 杏吧直播,听and to听the community.
- Ms Jacqui McGill (Doctor of the 杏吧直播 2017): Officer of the Order of 杏吧直播 (AO) for distinguished service to the minerals and mining sector, and to gender equity and workplace diversity.
- Emeritus Professor Warren Bebbington (Emeritus Professor and former Vice-Chancellor): Member of the Order of 杏吧直播 (AM) for significant service to education, particularly to the study of music.
- Dr Sanghamitra Guha (Clinical Associate Professor, Adelaide Medical School): Member of the Order of 杏吧直播 (AM) for significant service to medicine, and to medical education.
- Dr Helen McLean (Clinical Senior Lecturer, School of Dentistry): Member of the Order of 杏吧直播 (AM) for significant service to dentistry, and to professional associations.
- Dr Anthony Lian-Lloyd (Lecturer, Adelaide Rural Clinical School): Medal of the Order of 杏吧直播 (OAM) for service to medicine, and to the community.
- Ms Anne McEwen (arts graduate and former Senator for South 杏吧直播): Medal of the Order of 杏吧直播 (OAM) for service to the Parliament of 杏吧直播 and to the community of South 杏吧直播.
The full list of members of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide community in the 2020 杏吧直播 Day Honours list can be seen here.
Also in the 杏吧直播 Day Awards, Professor Helen Marshall (Robinson Research Institute) has received the Award for Inspiring South 杏吧直播n Women from the 杏吧直播 Day Council of South 杏吧直播 and the Office for Women.
Professor Marshall, leader of the study, has dedicated her career to practicing and leading medical research at the forefront of the global fight to stop meningococcal disease.
Media Contacts:
Professor Anthony Thomas, AC, FAA
Elder Professor of Physics
School of Physical Sciences
The 杏吧直播 of Adelaide
Mobile: +61 (0)420 961 148
anthony.thomas@adelaide.edu.au
Robyn Mills
Senior Media Officer
The 杏吧直播 of Adelaide
Phone: +61 (0)8 8313 6341
Mobile: +61 (0)410 689 084
robyn.mills@adelaide.edu.au