In summary

  • Swinburne alumni and friends have been recognised for their service and achievements in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours List
  • Russell Scrimshaw is a Swinburne alum, donor and honorary doctorate recipient and has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
  • The King’s Birthday Honours list recognises and celebrates 1,192 inspirational Australians

Swinburne alumni and community members are among 1,192 inspirational Australians who have been recognised for their service and achievements in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours list.

Service to healthcare, education and the community are some of the areas the Swinburne community has made an impact worthy of the honours list.

Swinburne alum recognised for business and community health impact

Swinburne accounting alum and renowned business leader, Russell Scrimshaw, has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to community health and to business governance.

Russell is a renowned leader in the Asia-Pacific mining industry and also dedicates significant time to philanthropy. He serves on board of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research which is helping to advance cutting-edge biomedical research.

In 2021, Russell was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business from Swinburne. As a Swinburne accounting alum, he has mentored Swinburne accounting and finance students through Swinburne’s Beta Alpha Psi chapter. 

Swinburne accounting alum, Russell Scrimshaw was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business from Swinburne in 2021.

Russell is also a generous supporter of Swinburne’s philanthropic activities. In 2020, he donated $20,000 to the Swinburne Student Emergency Fund to support students experiencing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 situation - the largest individual donation from our alumni community. He is also one of the university’s leading supporters of Indigenous education.

Honouring the Swinburne community 

Other Swinburne community members recognised in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours list are:

Office of the Order of Australia (AO)

Alan Schwartz, former Swinburne Council member: for distinguished service to the community through philanthropic endeavours, and to sustainable social benefit initiatives.

Dr Sandra Staffieri, Swinburne alum: for distinguished service to medicine as an orthoptist and vision researcher, and to paediatric ophthalmology.

Member of the Order (AM)

Adjunct Professor Josephine Barraket, former Director of Swinburne’s Centre for Social Impact: for significant service to education, and to the development of social enterprise.

Dale Fisher, Adjunct Professor at Swinburne: for significant service to medicine, to health care management, and to nursing.

Russell Pettis, Swinburne alum: for significant service to veterans and their families.

Emeritus Professor Andrew Sinclair: for significant service to community health in the field of nutrition.

Medal of the Order (OAM)

Paula Herlihy, Swinburne alum: for service to the communities of Mount Evelyn and the Yarra Ranges.

Ann Polis, former Swinburne Council member: for service to the community through a range of organisations.

Tracey Webster, Swinburne alum: for service to nursing, and to community health.

Natalie Wischer, Swinburne alum: for service to the community, particularly to people living with diabetes.

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