Vice-Chancellor's message
It is a source of immense pride and celebration when two members of our University of Adelaide community are recognised with the nation’s greatest civilian honour, as announced in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours yesterday.
Nobel Laureate, Professor John Maxwell (J.M.) Coetzee, and forensic science expert, Emeritus Professor Roger Byard, were awarded Australia’s highest civil honour, the esteemed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), which recognises eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree for service to Australia or humanity.
It is hard to imagine more deserving recipients. Their very different stories illuminate the remarkable depth and rich variety of talent associated with our fine institution.
On behalf of the University, I am pleased to congratulate the more than 20 staff, alumni and affiliates of our community who were also recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours. The full list of recipients will be available from early next week on the Alumni website.
One of the most brilliant and lauded of living writers, John Coetzee is the winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature and two Booker Prizes. He is patron of our J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice.
As part of our 150th celebrations last year, which also marked a half century since publication of his first book, John led other eminent writers and thinkers in Speaking from the South, which built on his extraordinary legacy.
An eminent forensic science expert, Roger Byard helped identify victims of the Bali Bombings in 2002 and the Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand in 2004, bringing closure to families seeking lost loved ones.
His important discoveries about sudden infant death have without question saved many lives. He has also advanced the cause of justice in numerous criminal cases.
Roger has nurtured the next generation of forensic pathologists and scientists for decades, retiring as George Richard Marks Chair of Pathology in 2023, and remains a senior specialist forensic pathologist at Forensic Science SA.
Please join with me in celebrating all our honourees.
Do you know an alum who has significantly contributed to their community and profession, and is an inspiring exemplar of the University of Adelaide success story? Nominations for our 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards are now open until 6 July.
Professor Peter Høj AC
Vice-Chancellor and President