RECIPIENTS OF
THE CONVOCATION MEDAL
FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

The Convocation Medal for Professional Excellence is awarded annually to a graduate with an outstanding record of professional excellence.

The recipients have made a significant contribution to the local, national or international community through one or more of the following:

• Leadership in their field or profession
• The advancement of knowledge
• The advancement of professional practice
  

 2011 recipient - Dato' Ir Dr Abu Bakar Bin Jaafar

Advisor to the Malaysian National Security Council

Environmental Scientist and Maritime Expert
Malaysia

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) 1973

A mechanical engineer by profession, an environmental scientist by  specialisation and a maritime expert by current pre-occupation, Dato’ Dr Jaafar has had a long and influential career in the Malaysian Public Service. Over a stellar career of 22 years, he was the Director-General of the Department of Environment, Deputy Director-General (Planning), Senior Controller (Engineering and Processes), Managing Director of Alam Sekitar, and Group Director of Technology.

The Malaysian Government has recognised his achievements with numerous awards for Excellence in Public Service at both State and Federal levels. Since his retirement as Director General, Dato’ Dr Jaafar remains instrumental in setting the environmental agenda for Malaysia through his current work at the United Nations. He is the Adviser to the Malaysia National Committee on the Continental Shelf and is Secretariat to National Security Council of the Prime Minister’s Department.

He was nominated by the Government of Malaysia in (1997, 2002, 2007) and elected member (1997-2002) (2002-2007) (2007-2012) of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, one of the three organs established by the State Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.

He also remains a Senior Adjunct Fellow of the Maritime Institute of Malaysia, a Director of UMT, a Member of the Malaysia’s National Council for Scientific Research and was appointed Chairman of its Environment Committee in April.

Footnote of interest: Dato’ is a Malaysian title awarded by the Malaysian Royal Family, similar to Australia’s title of “Sir”.

 

2010 recipient - Dr Cheong-Chua Koon Hean

CEO, Housing Development Board of Singapore and Deputy Secretary (Special Duties), Ministry of National Development, Singapore

Bachelor of Architecture (University Medal) 1981 Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Dr Cheong-Chua was the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) from April 2004 until August 2010 where she distinguished herself as a global leader in urban renewal, driving Singapore’s urban renewal plan. She was in charge of the national land use planning of Singapore, the conservation of built heritage and the real estate market.

Under her leadership, Singapore has been recognised for many of its planning initiatives, winning numerous international awards. She set up the URA International Group in 2009 in response to the growing demand from overseas countries for access to URA’s expertise. She shared her planning experience with numerous countries around the globe, publishing in her field and serving on a significant number of national and
international bodies.

Dr Cheong- Chua has received several Singapore National Day Awards over the years, culminating in the Meritorious Service Award from the President of the Republic of Singapore in 2010.

 

2009 - Professor Peter Silburn

To say Professor Peter Silburn is a worthy recipient of the University’s Convocation Medal is an understatement.

His outstanding contribution to professional excellence in leadership, knowledge and professional practice in his field has more than earned him the prestigious award.

Professor Silburn’s cutting edge work in the area of neuroscience and stem cell technology is paving the way for new-found hope to Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disease suffers on a national and international scale. His fundamental stem cell research is targeted at producing restorative therapies to improve patient treatment.

Professor Silburn was an integral member of the team that was awarded the $22 million Australian government grant for the National Adult Stem Cell Research Centre in 2006 based at Griffith University. He now heads a research team at the University of Queensland which is pioneering Deep Brain Stimulation research, which aims to improve the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and Tourette’s syndrome.

2008 - Professor Sue McNeil

Professor McNeil is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Delaware, in the United States.  She also serves as Director of the University Transportation Centre and the Disaster Research Centre at the University of Delaware.

She has made an outstanding contribution in a global context to her field of Engineering as a researcher, academic and teacher and she is of course, a wonderful role model for women who aspire to a career in engineering. As a fitting parallel with Newcastle itself, she is currently involved with the reinvigoration of Delaware.

 

2007 Recipient - Professor Nicholas Talley, Pro Vice-Chancellor - Faculty of Health

Professor Talley was awarded the Convocation Medal for Professional Excellence for his substantial contributions in medicine and gastroenterology at both a national and International level. After completing his Masters in Medical Science (Clinical Epidemiology) specialising in Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology from the University of Newcastle in 2004, Professor Talley was appointed Co-Director of the Clinical Enteric Neuroscience Translational and Epidemiology Research (C.E.N.T.E.R) Program which is the premier research centre for clinical enteric neurosciences in the world.

 

YEAR	RECIPIENT
2004	Peter Stutchbury
2003	Joan Cooper
2002	Warren Pengilley
2001	Trevor Waring
2000	Chris Rawlings
1999	Ian Harris
1998	William Jonas
1997	Ken Moss
1996	Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman
1995	Graeme Halford & Katherine Heinrich
1994	Eileen Doyle
1993	Terry Caelli
1991	Marlene Norst & Ron MacDonald
1990	Peter Ramadge
1989	Alex Harrison
1988	Robert Eather
1987	Peter Cummings