Margaret Olley: Life's journey - Office of Marketing and ...

GoldencontributionGRADUATIONSJEREMY PATTENA veterinarian andmentor recognised for hisoutstanding contributionsto the profession has beenrecognised with UQ Gatton’shighest honour.Dr Kerry Dowsett (pictured centre) receivedthe prestigious UQ Gatton Gold Medal andThe retirement of UQ Secretary andRegistrar Dr Douglas Porter marks the“end of an epoch” for the Universityand Queensland, according to outgoingChancellor, Sir Llew Edwards, AC.Dr Porter retired on January 28, after morethan 22 years at the helm of the University’sfinances and administration.In that time he has signed testamurs asproof of graduation for 150,300 UQ alumni– about 90 per cent of all living UQ graduates.On December 15 he received his own UQdegree, an Honorary Doctorate in Economics,and was officially farewelled by 150 guests atCustoms House – a heritage building that UQbought and refurbished on his watch.Sir Llew said Dr Porter had made“immeasurable contributions” to UQ since hebegan as Secretary and Registrar in 1986.“A great many of these are linked tohis indispensable role as Secretary to theUniversity’s governing body, the Senate,” SirLlew said.addressed graduates at the December 5ceremony at the Campus Gymnasium.The UQ Gatton Gold Medal is awardedeach year to a past student who has made anoutstanding contribution in their field.“To be recognised in such a way by theplace where my career began is a very specialand great honour that I will treasure for theremainder of my life,” Dr Dowsett said.After graduating from the QueenslandAgricultural College (which became the UQGatton Campus) with a Diploma in AnimalHusbandry in 1963, Dr Dowsett went on tocomplete his Bachelor of Veterinary Science in1970 and PhD in 1983 at UQ.Before joining UQ as a lecturer in veterinarymedicine in 1975, he worked as a husbandryofficer within the Beef Cattle Husbandry Branchof the Queensland Department of PrimaryIndustries.He is deeply committed to the training of thenext generation of Queensland veterinarians,particularly in the area of equine medicine,continuing to teach and train students long intohis retirement from UQ in 1997.Dr Dowsett is highlyregarded in the industryand was called upon by theQueensland Department ofPrimary Industries and Fisheriesin 2007 to work with theEquine Influenza VeterinaryInvestigations Section during anEI eradication program.He has Honorary LifeMembership and a SpecialAward from the University ofQueensland Veterinary StudentAssociation, and in 1999 wonthe Peter Irwin Literary Awardfrom the Australian EquineVeterinary Association.“He has worked with eight consecutiveSenates, including two Chancellors, five DeputyChancellors and three Vice-Chancellors,and has guided us through a changing andincreasingly complex maze of legislation,protocols and regulations.”Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfieldsaid in almost 100 years, UQ had “never seenanother Secretary and Registrar, and wasunlikely to ever do so”.Dr Porter said after 43 years working inthree universities he particularly wished tothank and recognise his wife, Dr Janet Porter(pictured), a UQ PhD graduate, who hasmade valuable and sustained contributionsto the University’s social and culturalnetworks.Fellow recipients of honorarydoctorates in December were Sir PeterKenilorea, KBE, PC, Donald Argus, AO, DrFrank Gannon, Graham Bligh, Dr SusanPond, AM, Michael Bryce, AM, AE, JohnSimpson, Sir Frank Moore, AO, and DrRussell Howard.SHARED CELEBRATIONGraduations are a special time forall involved, but for the Stephensonfamily, UQ’s recent ceremonies wereespecially memorable.Mother and daughter duo Birgitta andLaura Stephenson (pictured) joined more than900 others recently in receiving their degreesfor studies in the faculties of Arts and Socialand Behavioural Sciences.Birgitta graduated with a double major inarchaeology while Laura earned a Bachelor ofPsychology with honours.“There is something reassuring about a UQdegree. It is an esteemed achievement at anyage,” Birgitta said.Birgitta and Laura join a growing familytradition, with Dad graduating from designstudies in 1982 and architecture in 1985,Grandad from medicine in 1959 and secondeldest daughter Eloise currently studyingtowards a science degree.CAPPING HONOUR for RegistrarJEREMY PATTEN STEWART GOULDSTEWART GOULD