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Official Patron

The official Patron of the AUPGSA is Dr E H Medlin.

Born in 1920 in country South Australia, Dr Medlin has made an enormous contribution over the last 70 years to the University of Adelaide and the people of South Australia.  He holds the following positions:

• Emeritus Senior Deputy Chancellor (since 1997) of the University of Adelaide.  (Dr Medlin served for 19 years as a Deputy/Senior Deputy Chancellor, 1978-97.)
• Official University Envoy to East Asia and South-East Asia (since 1997) for Alumni of the University of Adelaide.  (Dr Medlin was the inaugural Chair of the Alumni Association for 14 years, from the founding of the Association in 1984 until his retirement in 1998.  In 1994-95 he founded the University's alumni chapters in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.)
• Visiting Associate Professor (since 1995) in Physics and Mathematical Physics.  (Dr Medlin lectured in Physics at the University of Adelaide from 1951 until his retirement in 1985.)
• Holder of the Australian Centenary Medal, awarded in 2003 for Creative and productive involvement in all aspects of the work, life and culture of Universities.

• Adelaide University Council (serving as an elected member continuously from 1967 to 2006)
• The AUPGSA
• The Adelade University Union (AUU)
• The National Union of Students (NUS)
• The Federation of Australian University Staff Associations (now the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU))
• Kathleen Lumley residential college for postgraduates of the University of Adelaide
• The Adelaide University Theatre Guild
• Physics teaching at Senior High Schools in South Australia
• The Colombo Plan  (Established by the Federal Government in 1951 to provide University education and support to the young nations of South-East Asia)
• Management of collections in libraries, museums and artistic/cultural groups
• Various committees of the Government of South Australia.

Dr Medlin is the AUPGSA's second Patron since it was founded in 1965, and also the second person to be offered Life Membership of the AUPGSA.  The AUPGSA's first Patron was Sir Henry Basten, former Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the Australian Universities' Commission (now Universities Australia).  The AUPGSA's first Life Member was the late Sir Hugh Cairns, a Nobel Laureate.

Dr Medlin is also a distinguished veteran of World War II.  He served as a military engineer (attaining the rank of Captain) in Australia, Java and West Timor.  In 1942 he was captured by the Japanese Army and held as a prisoner of war for 3 years and 7 months.