Honorary Degree and Fellowship Holders

Emeritus Professor is a title accorded to Professors on retirement or resignation, who have given distinguished academic service to the scholarly community and/or the University community.
Name | Conferred |
Professor C.A. Roderick | 6 October 1977 (deceased) |
Professor R.T. Sussex | 7 February 1980 |
Professor W.C. Lacy | 3 September 1981 |
Professor J.F. Ward | 6 October 1983 |
Professor J. Oliver | 9 February 1984 |
Professor C. Burdon-Jones | 7 September 1985 |
Professor K.J.C. Back | 6 February 1986 |
Professor B.C. Rennie | 6 February 1986 |
Professor D.H. Trollope | 1 October 1987 |
Professor R.S.F. Campbell | 1 October 1987 |
Professor E. Scott | 5 October 1989 |
Professor B.J. Dalton | 1 February 1990 |
Professor G.E. Kearney | 7 June 1990 |
Professor K.V. Sinclair | 6 February 1992 |
Professor R. Golding | 4 July 1996 (Relinquished) |
Professor C.P. Harris | 3 October 1996 |
Professor L.F. Lindoy | 6 March 1997 |
Professor R.T. Jackson | 5 February 1998 |
Professor Peter Arlett | 3 July 1998 |
Professor D.J. Griffiths | 3 July 1998 |
Professor R. Peterson | 3 July 1998 |
Professor Rhondda Jones | 1 November 2001 |
Professor Howard Choat | 1 November 2001 |
Professor D.J. Close | 24 February 2005 |
Professor A.J. Hassall | 23 March 2006 |
Professor R.A. Henderson | 7 December 2007 |
Professor Barbara Hayes | 7 December 2007 |
Professor David Hopley | 21 February 2008 |
Professor Bernard Moulden | 21 February 2008 |
Professor Norman Palmer | 4 July 2008 |
Professor Janet Greeley | 30 September 2008 |
Professor Richard Pearson | 10 October 2011 |
Professor Richard Speare | 31 August 2012 (deceased) |
Professor James Burnell | 4 December 2014 |
Professor David Yellowlees | 27 February 2015 |
Professor Ross Alford | 1 April 2016 |
Professor Bette Willis | 24 December 2016 |
Professor Stephen Graw | 27 October 2017 |
Professor Helene Marsh | 27 October 2017 |
Professor Nola Alloway | 25 October 2019 |
Professor Ian Wronski AO | 4 November 2020 |
Professor Joe Holtum | 5 April 2020 |
Professor Philip Munday | 7 May 2021 |
Professor Terry Hughes | 22 October 2021 |
Professor Sandra Harding AO | 11 February 2022 |
The award of Honorary Doctor of the University will generally be conferred upon a person who has had a strong association with the University and/or whose eminent achievement is not based on a particular discipline or field of study, but rather through service to the university, or wider society through business or public service.
Factors to be taken into consideration for the Award of an Honorary Doctor of the University:
- service that an individual has rendered to the University which is of an exceptional or exemplary nature which has significantly contributed toward the advancement of the University's well-being or reputation;
- the length of time the nominee has been involved with, contributed to, or employed by, the University in a senior capacity, and
- have upheld the principles and values of professional behaviour outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
Doctor of the University
1998 Professor Emeritus Kenneth Richard McKinnon AO
2000 Mr John Williams
2005 Mr Gregory Neville Whitmore
2008 Emeritus Professor Bernard Paul Moulden AM
2008 Mr Henry Heng Jee Kwang
2008 Her Excellency Ms Quentin Alice Louise Bryce AC DStJ
2013 Her Excellency Ms Penelope Anne Wensley AC DStJ Gr Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite France
2014 Mr David Dahwurri Hudson
2015 Dr Dennis Trewin AO
2015 Mr Piers Lane AO
2015 Dr Lim Neo Chian
2016 His Excellency Mr Phillip Green OAM
2016 Lieutenant General John Cedric Grey, AC (Ret’d)
2018 Mr Yeo Li Pheow
2018 Mr Clive Skarott AM
2021 Her Excellency Dr Gillian Bird PSM
2021 Emeritus Professor Peter Coaldrake AO
2021 Mr Eddie Koiki Mabo
2021 Mrs Margaret Roderick
2021 Mr Campbell Charlton
2022 Mr Peter Phillips
The details in this list have been checked against the historical records of the University (principally its Graduation Booklets) and other available sources. In each instance, the quoted titles and honorifics are those believed to have applied at the time the award was bestowed.
Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this list, errors may remain or details may be incomplete. To effect a correction, please contact the Secretariat at James Cook University at secretariat@jcu.edu.au
The University may award an Honorary Doctorate of Letters, or a discipline based honorary doctorate.
- An Honorary Doctorate of Letters will generally be conferred upon a person who has made an eminent contribution in a field or discipline for which JCU does not have a named degree.
- An Honorary Doctorate in a named discipline will generally be conferred upon a person who has made an eminent contribution in a field or discipline for which JCU has a named degree.
Factors taken into consideration when awarding an Honorary Doctorate include one or more of the following:
- outstanding service or distinguished public contribution to the northern Queensland and/or Singaporean communities;
- exceptional service which an individual has rendered to the University, comprising either academic excellence, distinguished creative achievement or the exercise of outstanding leadership;
- exceptional contributions beyond the expectations of the nominee’s particular field of endeavour, which have influenced the thinking or general well-being of humanity, and
- have upheld the principles and values of professional behaviour outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
Doctor of Educational Studies
1991 Sir Alkan Tololo KBE
1995 Ms Kathleen McArthur
1996 Mr Alan Ross MacKee
1997 Mr Francis (Frank) Allan Young
2003 Ms Penelope (Penny) Estelle Rosable Tripcony
2004 Dr Paul Kenneth Brock
2008 Dr (Jeannie) Heather Jeannie Herbert
2013 Associate Professor Noel Loos
2014 Emeritus Professor Allan Luke
2018 Mrs Lauretta Elizabeth Graham
Doctor of Letters
1986 Mr George Vivian Roberts CBE
1988 His Excellency the Hon. Sir Walter Benjamin Campbell Kt cr
1989 Mr Keith Neville Patrick Chester
1991 Mr John Coburn AM
1993 The Hon. Sir Joseph Patrick (George) Kneipp Kt cr
1994 Sir Francis Thomas Moore AO Kt cr
1994 Sir Robert Henry Norman OBE
1995 Mrs Joan Innes Reid AM
1999 The Hon. Keith Ernest De Lacy
2001 The Hon. Margaret Reynolds
2001 Mr Arnold “Puggy” Hunter
2002 Dr Evelyn Ruth Scott
2002 Lady Florence (Pearl) Logan MBE
2003 Professor Sharon Mary Sullivan
2003 Hon. Justice Michael Donald Kirby AC CMG
2004 Mr Percy James Trezise AM
2004 Bishop Raymond Conway Benjamin DD Bishop Emeritus of Townsville
2005 Dr Dorothy (Dot) Merle Cole
2005 Mr Tommy George
2005 Mr George Musgrave
2005 Dr Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher James AO
2007 Mr Peter Laurence Black OAM
2009 Mr Ernest (Ernie) Hoolihan
2010 Mr Ernie Grant
2013 Mr George Skeene
2015 Mr Johnathon Dean Thurston AM
2017 Dame Carol Kidu DBE
2018 Mrs Ernestine Bonita Mabo AO
2021 Ms Valerie Alberts
2021 Mr James Birrell
2021 Mr Laurie Bragge
2021 Commissioner Dr Katarina Carroll APM
2021 Mr Sean Dorney MBE AM
2021 Mr Darryl Murgha
2021 Dr Len Rutledge
2021 Miss Edna Shaw
2021 Mr Bernard Luke Singleton
2021 Professor David Hulme OBE
Doctor of Science
1995 Professor Emeritus Kenneth John Campbell Back AO
1995 Dr Barbara Joan Stelling
1999 Dr Christopher John Crossland
2001 Mr Richard Ambrose Kenchington
2005 Dr Douglas Bruce Copeman AO
2006 Sir Sydney Schubert
2007 The Hon. Dr Michael Richard Lewis Wooldridge
2007 Dr John Barton Best AM
2008 Professor John Hemsley Pearn Major General (Ret’d) AM KStJ RFD
2008 Major Leslie James Hiddins AM (Ret’d)
2009 The Hon Virginia Anne Chadwick AO
2012 Professor Peter Andrews AO
2013 Dr Ian Raymond Poiner
2015 Emeritus Professor John Howard Choat
2017 Commodore Andrew Robertson CSC PSM
2017 Mr Robert Jago
2018 Professor Ian Thomas Ring AO
2021 Professor Tony Bacic
2021 Dr Peter Isdale AM
2021 Mr Victor Steffensen
2021 Associate Professor Judith Trevan-Hawke
2021 Emeritus Professor David Yellowlees
2021 Dr Geoffry Fordyce
Doctor of Engineering
1980 Sir George Read Fisher Kt cr CMG BE Adel HonLLD Qld
1994 Mr John McGillivray McIntyre AM OBE BE NZ FTS FICE Hon FIEAust
1995 Mr Kevin John Macks AM ASTC LFRAIA FAIB AIArbA FFAICD
2008 Mr Donald George Fry AO DipEng (Mech&Elec) Hon FIEAust CEng MIMarE MRINA FTSE
2021 Ms Andrea Della Mattea
Doctor of Medicine
2018 Ms Marita Cowie AM
2019 Dr Christopher Kennedy OAM
2021 Dr Richard Harris SC OAM
2021 Dr Denis Lennox
2021 Dr Dennis Pashen
Doctor of Commerce
2004 Mr Ronald Keith Ireland OAM
2009 Mr George Edward Chapman AO
2013 Mr (Bill) Foo Say Mui
2014 Mr Les Tyrell OAM
2017 Mr John Herbert Morris
2021 Mr Graham Jackson OAM
Doctor of Laws
2007 The Hon. Justice Keiran Anthony (Kerry) Cullinane
2011 The Hon. Justice Stanley Graham Jones AO
2021 Mr Bill Mitchell OAM
The details in this list have been checked against the historical records of the University (principally its Graduation Booklets) and other available sources. In each instance, the quoted titles and honorifics are those believed to have applied at the time the award was bestowed.
Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this list, errors may remain or details may be incomplete. To effect a correction, please contact the Secretariat at James Cook University at secretariat@jcu.edu.au
Honoris causa is a degree awarded without examination, as a mark of esteem upon an individual.
Factors to be taken into consideration for the award of a degree honoris causa:
- exceptional achievement and academic eminence in a field of study or discipline offered by the University;
- as well as recognising normally either outstanding service which an individual has rendered to the University beyond the level customarily expected in the execution of the person's duties; or
- exceptional contributions to the advancement of human well-being; and
- have upheld the principles and values of professional behaviour outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
Doctor of Educational Studies
1992 Professor Emeritus Edward Scott AM
Doctor of Engineering
1988 Professor Emeritus David Hugh Trollope
2021 Professor Ian Young AO
Doctor of Laws
2012 The Honorable Ian Callinan AC
Doctor of Letters
1982 His Excellency the Right Honorable Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG GCVO KStJ QC
1991 Professor Emeritus Colin Arthur Roderick CBE
1992 Professor Emeritus Brian James Dalton
1993 Professor Emeritus Keith Val Sinclair AO Officier de l'Ordre National du Merite France Commendatore nell'Ordine al Merito Italy Officier de l'Ordre de la Couronne Belgium Commandeur de l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques France Officier de l'Ordre de Merite Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
2003 The Honorable Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG
2003 Sharon Mary Sullivan
2011 Donat Gallagher OAM
2012 Professor Henry Reynolds
2017 Adjunct Professor Robert Dixon
Doctor of Science
1988 Professor Emeritus Roderick Samuel Fisher Campbell
2003 Dr Ralph Owen Slatyer AO AC
2005 Professor Joseph Thomas Baker AO OBE
2008 The Honorable Doctor Basil Hetzel AC
2009 Professor Emeritus Robert Porter AC
2021 Professor Betsy Jackes
The details in this list have been checked against the historical records of the University (principally its Graduation Booklets) and other available sources. In each instance, the quoted titles and honorifics are those believed to have applied at the time the award was bestowed.
Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this list, errors may remain or details may be incomplete. To effect a correction, please contact the Secretariat at James Cook University at secretariat@jcu.edu.au
The award of Fellow of the University will generally be conferred upon a person who has made a distinguished contribution to the University or to wider society, through public service or academic achievement.
Factors to be taken into consideration for the Award of a Fellow of the University include one or more of the following:
- significant service to the northern Queensland and/or Singaporean communities;
- significant service which an individual has rendered to the University;
- significant contributions to the advancement of human well-being; and
- have upheld the principles and values of professional behaviour outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
Other factors that may be taken into account:
- significant support for the improvement of the University;
- major contributions toward activities resulting in the significant development or promotion of the University.
Fellow of the University
2009 Professor Gail Mackay
2010 Ms Carmel Daveson AM
2011 Associate Professor Barry Osborne
The details in this list have been checked against the historical records of the University (principally its Graduation Booklets) and other available sources. In each instance, the quoted titles and honorifics are those believed to have applied at the time the award was bestowed.
Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this list, errors may remain or details may be incomplete. To effect a correction, please contact the Secretariat at James Cook University at secretariat@jcu.edu.au