Fellows update—November 2017

November 09, 2017

Honours and awards to Fellows

(from left) Jenny Graves, Jane Visvader, Geoffrey Lindeman, Maria Forsyth, Gordon Wallace, Trevor McDougall, Edward Holmes, John Mattick and Sam Berkovic.

Professor Jenny Graves AO FAA—2017 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science for her pioneering investigations of the genetics of sex.

Professor Jane Visvader FAA—Victoria Prize for Life Sciences, jointly with Geoffrey Lindeman

Professor Geoffrey Lindeman FAA—Victoria Prize for Life Sciences, jointly with Jane Visvader

Professor Maria Forsyth FAA—Victoria Prize for Physical Sciences

Professor Gordon Wallace AO FAA FTSE—NSW Scientist of the Year, Premier’s Prizes for Science and Engineering

Professor Trevor McDougall FAA FRS—Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Physics, Premier’s Prizes for Science and Engineering

Professor Edward Holmes FAA FRS—Excellence in Biological Sciences, Premier’s Prizes for Science and Engineering

Dr Graham Farquhar AO FAA FRS—ACT Senior Australian of the Year

Professor John Mattick AO FAA FTSE—Elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering

Professor Samuel Berkovic AC FAA FRS—Made an international member of the National Academy of Medicine (US)

Professor C Jagadish AC FAA FTSE—Elected as a Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy and as an Honorary Fellow of the Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences

Obituary

Professor Arthur McComb FAA FAIBiol
1936 to 2017

Professor Arthur McComb.

Professor Arthur McComb was a distinguished marine scientist and highly regarded expert on the control of plant growth in aquatic systems. He was elected to the Academy in 1995. Initially focused on plant physiology with interests in gibberellins, his research then moved onto the detailed functioning of aquatic systems using field, laboratory and modelling techniques to examine the interrelationships of benthic, epiphytic and planktonic plant components under conditions of increasing eutrophication. Much of his work contributed to solving applied problems for government agencies, including the demise of seagrass meadows and algal nuisances in marine embayments or estuaries. As well as an extensive range of research papers and chapters for books, Professor McComb edited or co-authored major treatises on seagrass biology and Australian wetlands.

Professor McComb received many prestigious prizes and awards in recognition of his contributions to the understanding and management of marine, estuarine and freshwater systems. These include the Kelvin Medal of the Royal Society of Western Australia in 1997; the Prime Minister’s Centennial Medal for Environmental Science in 2001; a DSc from Murdoch University in 2007; and the Silver Jubilee Award from the Australian Marine Sciences Association in 2002. From 1996 to 2000, Professor McComb also served on one of the Academy’s Sectional Committees.

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