The Australia Day Honours List honours members of the Australian community for their contributions to society
Three members of the Edith Cowan University (ECU) community have been recognised in the Australia Day Honours List, receiving a Member of the Order of Australia for their outstanding contributions to Australian society.
The honours celebrate individuals who have made a significant impact at the local, national or international level, and reflect the depth of service, leadership and community commitment represented across ECU.
Elder-in-Residence, Dr Roma Yibiyung Winmar AM has been honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to the Indigenous communities of Western Australia, to the arts, and to education.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity and Indigenous), Professor Braden Hill, praised Dr Winmar AM for her outstanding contributions and achievements.
"Nan Roma is an absolute national treasure and is incredibly respected amongst the Noongar and broader Western Australian community. She deserves this honour and many more. She has been an exceptional ambassador for ECU," Professor Hill said.
Dr Winmar AM has worked across ECU since 2020 to promote and support Aboriginal culture, particularly the Noongar language. According to Professor Dan McAullay, Dean of Kurongkurl Katijin and Director, Aboriginal Research, her impact has been extraordinary.
"Dr Roma 'Yibiyung' Winmar AM, a much-loved Noongar Elder whose tireless advocacy for language, culture and education has transformed our university and our communities. Nan has walked beside generations of students and staff with generosity, humour and fierce determination, embodying the values of truth-telling, cultural safety and shared learning that sit at the heart of our work," Professor McAullay said.
"Nan has personally provided strength, mentoring and guidance to myself and my team. Her Australia Day Honour rightly recognises a lifetime of service, leadership and love, and we are immensely proud to continue learning under her guidance and in her footsteps."
ECU Elder-in-Residence, Dr Roma Yibiyung Winmar AM
Making An Impact
Leading exercise medicine researcher Professor Rob Newton AM has also been recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia for his impactful work and significant service to exercise medicine, to cancer research, and to the community.
Professor Newton AM established ECU's Exercise Medicine Research Institute in 2004 and has received numerous accolades for his work highlighting the impact that exercise could have on cancer survival and recovery.
ECU Professor Rob Newton AM
"I am very proud of this recognition from the Order of Australia for my work in exercise medicine, specifically for people with cancer. I particularly acknowledge the support I have received from Edith Cowan University over the past 23 years, which has been foundational to my research, clinical and advocacy work. I have been very fortunate to be part of a great university," Professor Newton AM said.
In addition to educating the next generation of exercise medicine researchers and professionals , Professor Newton AM has made extensive research contributions, including having published over 1000 scientific papers, including 592 refereed scientific journal articles, 450 conference abstracts and papers and four books.
His work has focused on improving health outcomes for people with cancer through the use of rehabilitative exercise medicine before, during, and after cancer therapy to reduce the side effects of treatment and enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.
In 2018, Professor Newton AM was awarded the career achievement award from the Cancer Council WA and in 2019, was named the Western Australian Premier's Scientist of the Year.
He was also awarded a Higher Doctorate (DSc) by the University of Queensland for his research in the field of exercise oncology in 2021.
Driving Change
Notable ECU public health researcher Professor Wei Wang has been recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to public health, medical research and global health.
Professor Wang is a Professor of Public Health in ECU's School of Medical and Health Sciences and leads the Suboptimal Health and Glycomics Research Group. He also serves as Suboptimal Health Program Lead within Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute, an ECU strategic research institute.
ECU Professor Wei Wang AM
With almost 30 years' experience spanning forensic medicine, glycomics and global health, Professor Wang has made internationally recognised contributions to preventive and precision medicine.
His work has helped advance understanding of suboptimal health, early disease detection and personalised approaches to public health, particularly in global and developing country contexts.
"I am honoured to receive this recognition from the Order of Australia. I acknowledge the support of Edith Cowan University and my colleagues and collaborators around the world, whose shared commitment to improving population health has underpinned my work," Professor Wang said.
In addition to his role at ECU, Professor Wang serves as Chairman of the Academic Committee of the Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory–Centre of Excellence on Clinical Epidemiology and has held senior academic leadership positions in China and Australia. He has also contributed extensively to global health policy and science through advisory roles with the World Health Organisation and leadership positions in international professional bodies, including the Human Glycome Project and the European Association of Preventive, Predictive and Personalised Medicine.
The following members of the ECU community were also recognised in the Australia Day Honours List. For full details, please see the official list.
- Dr Dianne Wynaden AM
- Mr John Jonker AFSM
- Mrs Jillian Cameron OAM
- The late Arthur McCarthy OAM
- Hon Raymond Halligan OAM
- Hon Ian Gordon Campbell AM
- Mr Walter McGuire OAM
- Inspector Geoffrey Regan APM OAM
- Mrs Lauren D'arcy ASM
- The late Kevin Rogers OAM
- Mr Kevin Cameron OAM
- Mr Barry McGuire OAM
- Ms Louise Kneeshaw ACM
- Superintendent Paul Daly APM
- The late John Alexander OAM
- Ms Natalie Marie Veenstra ACM
- Ms Katina Hodson-Thomas OAM
- Superintendent Darryl Cox APM
- Air Commodore Kaarin Kooij CSC and Bar
- Detective Superintendent Simone Van Der Sluys APM
- Ms Sharyn Anne O'Neill AO PSM
- Mr Peter Robertson OAM
- Dr Felix Ho ASM OAM
- Mr David Emerson ASM
- Mr John Marrapodi PSM OAM
