Each year The University of Queensland celebrates the diverse achievements of our alumni with a suite of alumni awards. These awards recognise the achievements of alumni who have accomplished outstanding success in their fields and made exemplary contributions to their community.
Ms Anne Cross
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2016)
Bachelor of Social Work 1976, Master of Social Work 1990.
Leader in community services, CEO of UnitingCare Queensland.
Mr Greg Minton
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2016)
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) 1984, Bachelor of Economics 1989. Private equity specialist, former Managing Partner with Archer Capital. St Leo’s College 1980–1981.
Mr Greg Vickery AO
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2016)
Bachelor of Arts 1967, Bachelor of Laws 1969. Special Counsel at legal firm Norton Rose Fulbright. Former president of the Queensland Law Society and generous humanitarian.
Emeritus Professor Ian Harper
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2016)
Bachelor of Economics 1977, Bachelor of Economics (Honours) 1978. Member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Ms Marie Myers
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2016)
Bachelor of Arts 1987, Bachelor of Economics 1988. Senior Vice-President of Finance for HP Inc. (Hewlett Packard) in Houston Texas. The Women’s College within UQ 1985–1986.
Mr Benjamin Milbourne
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2016)
Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement Studies) 2004. Celebrity chef, Masterchef finalist and entrepreneur.
Dr Jackie Campbell
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2016)
Bachelor of Veterinary Science 2006. Founder of the Sunset Home Veterinary Care.
Mr Michael Fox
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2016)
Bachelor of Commerce 2001, Bachelor of Laws 2003. Entrepreneur and co-founder of the award-winning online store, Shoes of Prey.
Mr Mike Knapp
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2016)
Bachelor of Laws 2003, Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) 2003. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of online shoe retailer Shoes of Prey.
Ms Selena Uibo
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2016)
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) 2010, Bachelor of Arts 2010. Indigenous community leader and secondary school teacher. Duchesne College 2003.
Professor Tadimety Chakrapani Rao (T. C.)
International Alumnus of the Year (2016)
PhD in Mineral Engineering 1966. Prominent thought leader in the field of mining engineering. Emmanuel College.
Associate Professor Gregory Phillips
Indigenous Community Impact Award (2016)
Bachelor of Arts 1994, Master of Medical Science 2001. Indigenous health, education and social justice advocate.
Dr Heather Smith PSM
Colleges' UQ Alumni Award (2016)
Bachelor of Economics 1986. Secretary of the Department of Communications and Arts in the Australian Federal Government. Emmanuel College.
Emeritus Professor Dr Mary Mahoney AO
Alumni Friends UQ Alumnus of the Year (2016)
Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery 1963, Doctor of Medicine (honoris causa) 2005. Distinguished medical practitioner and educator.
Mr Gabriel Perry
Alumni Friends UQ Graduate of the Year (2016)
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) 2015, Bachelor of Laws (Hons) 2015. University Medal winner.
Mr Dane Bird-Smith
UQ Sport Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year (2016)
Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education (Hons) student. Olympic bronze medallist race walker.
Ms Gabrielle Simpson
UQ Sport Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year (2016)
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Hons) student and emerging netball star.
Catherine Tanna
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2015)
Bachelor of Laws 1984
Managing Director of EnergyAustralia, and a Member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia.
His Excellency The Honourable Paul de Jersey AC QC
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2015)
Bachelor of Arts 1969, Bachelor of Laws (Hons) 1972, Doctor of Laws honoris causa 2000
The Governor of Queensland and Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Professor Peter Donnelly
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2015)
Bachelor of Science (Honours) 1980
Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, and a Professor of Statistical Science at the University of Oxford.
Dr James Morton AM
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2015)
Bachelor of Medical Science and Bachelor of Surgery 1986
Medical Director of Haematology-Oncology Clinics of Australasia and Chairman and founder of the AEIOU Foundation.
Dr Jeffrey Dawes
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2015)
PhD in Mining Minerals & Materials Engineering 1987
President and CEO of major construction and mining equipment sales and service company Komatsu Latin America.
Mark Sowerby
Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards (2015)
Bachelor of Agricultural Science 1993, Masters of Business Administration 2003
Founder and Managing Director of Blue Sky Alternative Investments Limited.
Jeromy Moore
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2015)
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Honours) 2000
Performance engineer at Porsche in the World Endurance Championship and former chief designer for Triple Eight Race Engineering Australia.
Kathryn Zealand
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2015)
Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2009
Manager of Enterprise Development in Africa for the Clinton Foundation, and an awardee of the Fulbright-Anne Wexler Masters Scholarship in Public Policy.
Mike Boyd
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2015)
Bachelor of Applied Science 2010, Bachelor of Business Management 2010
Entrepreneur and CEO of car rental comparison business ‘VroomVroomVroom’, that has an annual turnover of over $70 million
Nicholas Veltjens
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2015)
Bachelor of Physiotherapy 2005
Physiotherapist who volunteers for Mercy Ships, which operates hospital ships in developing nations.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Distinguished Young Alumni Award (2015)
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) 2011
Yassmin is a mechanical engineer, writer, social commentator, and two-time Queensland Young Australian of the Year.
Professor Dato' Dr Rahmah Mohamed
International Alumnus of the Year (2015)
PhD in Biochemistry 1986
Vice-Chancellor of the INTI International Laureate University (INTI IU) in Malaysia and award-winning scientist.
Michael Aird
Indigenous Community Impact Award (2015)
Bachelor of Arts 1990
Publisher, anthropologist and curator promoting the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous Australians.
Steven Skala AO
Colleges' UQ Alumni Award (2015)
Bachelor of Arts 1976, Bachelor of Laws (Hons) 1978
Vice Chairman of Deutsche Bank AG (Australia & New Zealand) and holds many non-executive directorship positions including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Dr W.R.B. (Russ) Morrison AM
Alumni Friends UQ Alumnus of the Year (2015)
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) 1962, Master of Engineering Science 1964, PhD 1969, Doctor of Engineering honoris causa 2014
Co-founder and a current Director of engineering consultancy BMT WBM.