Major gift honours historic name in Medical Sciences building

Thursday, 19 May 2016

A prominent dentist and graduate of the University of Adelaide had made a $250,000 gift to the University's new Health and Medical Sciences building.

Dr Joseph ("Joe") Verco - who is from the same family as the man responsible for establishing the teaching of both medicine and dentistry in South Australia - will have a lecture theatre named after him in the University's new $246 million building, currently being constructed in Adelaide's West End biomedical precinct.

Dr Verco is a dental graduate of the University of Adelaide, and has had a long association with dental education and research throughout his career.

He is a past President of the Australian Dental Association (SA Branch), the Australian Society of Dentistry for Children (Federal and SA branch), the Australian and New Zealand Society of Paediatric Dentistry (SA branch), and a past President of the Australasian Academy of Paediatric Dentistry. He has held roles with the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry and is currently on the editorial board of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, an international honours organisation.

The Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Warren Bebbington, paid tribute to Dr Verco's generosity. He said the Verco name was a fitting one for such a prominent teaching space within the new building.

"Joe's great-uncle was Sir Joseph Verco, co-founder of the University's Medical School back in 1885 and also of the Dental School in 1920," Professor Bebbington said.

Dr Joe Verco said: "On a personal level I have a strong sense of pride that the Verco name will have its own special place of honour in the University of Adelaide's new medical sciences building.

"I've been very grateful to the University for the study opportunities and the career path I've chosen, and I have always been happy to give back to the community that has given so much to me," he said.

The new Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building is the biggest capital works project in the history of the University of Adelaide.

The $246 million, 14-storey building will house teaching and learning facilities for 1600 students and more than 400 researchers adjacent to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital at the city's West End.

The building will be open for teaching in semester one 2017.

"The vision of having medicine, dentistry, nursing and other health disciplines all positioned together in the one building – and co-located with the new Royal Adelaide Hospital – is an exciting one for the future of medical and health sciences education in this state, and I commend the University for taking this approach," Dr Verco said.

www.alumni.adelaide.edu.au/donateHMSB

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