Knightly honour for JCU Professor

Professor Leggat said that while the honour meant a lot to him, he saw these awards as recognition of the volunteer work, training and other contributions made by St John Ambulance across Australia.

He said it also reflected JCU’s high standing in public health and the progress that has been made in Australia in asserting a greater leadership role in the fields of disaster health and emergency response within the region.

“JCU has one of Australasia’s largest postgraduate programs in public health and tropical medicine and has been recognised internationally,” Professor Leggat said.

The Order of St John is an order of chivalry, created by then Queen Victoria, awarded at the level of Knight for having made an outstanding contribution to the Order over a sustained period, and having been in leadership roles, and such achievements will usually have been at an international, national or regional level. Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, is the Sovereign Head of the Order of St John.

Professor Leggat served as national Director of Training of St John Ambulance from 2013-2019 and then as Chair of the Clinical Governance Committee from 2019-2021, both volunteer roles, until his retirement from the national St John Board. As Director of Training, his signature appeared on over 1,000,000 first aid certificates every year.

He also served in the familiar St John black and white uniform in senior roles in Queensland from 2000-2016, including State Medical Officer and State Professional Officer.

He joins an impressive list of Order of St John recipients announced recently in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette dated 29 September 2021.

A former Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Ambassador, Professor Leggat has been with JCU for nearly 30 years.  Professor Leggat is a Professor in JCU’s College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences and Deputy Chair of Academic Board.

The College offers several popular postgraduate courses in public health, tropical medicine, disaster health, aeromedical retrieval and humanitarian response.

Further information on 2021 Admissions and Promotions in the Order of St John: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2021G00751/

Images of Professor Leggat available here.