Page 18 - Luce 2020

C ouncil N ews

Doreen Rosenthal and Michelle Grattan
welcomed as College Fellows

Emerita Prof Doreen Rosenthal AO and Ms Michelle Grattan AO (1963)
have been elected Fellows of the College, the highest honour the College can bestow.

Prof Doreen Rosenthal’s long and Ms Michelle Grattan (1963) has
distinguished contribution to the long been regarded as a paragon
College began with her election to for the highest standards in
Council in 1998. Over nearly two journalistic integrity and intellect
decades of service, including as Chair over many decades. She has been
of Council from 2011 to 2014, Doreen a role model and a pioneer for
oversaw a significant strengthening women in a career traditionally
of the College’s capacity, not least in dominated by men.
relation to our pastoral support for
students. In this particular respect, Michelle entered the College in
her considerable expertise and 1963 as a non-resident student
understanding of adolescent development and wellbeing was (or ‘outpatient’) when she was studying for a Bachelor of Arts,
of invaluable assistance. majoring in politics, before tutoring at Monash University. In
1970 she was recruited as a journalist for The Age newspaper,
Within the University and the international community, Doreen joining the Canberra Press Gallery in 1971. From 1976 to
is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most accomplished social 1993, Michelle was Chief Political Correspondent for The
scientists. Commencing her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Age, breaking news and commenting upon most of the major
Psychology at the University of Melbourne whilst a young mother domestic political events in an era dominated by Prime
with three small children, Doreen graduated at the top of her Ministers Fraser, Hawke and Keating. In 1993, Michelle was
class. After completing a PhD at the University, she commenced appointed the Editor of The Canberra Times, becoming the first
a lectureship in psychology at Melbourne State College before female editor of a metropolitan daily newspaper in Australia.
rising rapidly to become Reader in Developmental Psychology In 1996 she joined the Australian Financial Review as a
at the University of Melbourne. In 1992 she became Professor columnist and senior writer, and was appointed Chief Political
and Founding Director of the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald in 1999,
Health and Society at La Trobe University, followed by a term as returning to The Age in 2002 to become its political editor
Associate Dean (Research) in that university’s Faculty of Health and bureau chief.
Sciences. In 2003 she returned to the University of Melbourne as
Professor of Women’s Health and Director of the Key Centre for Among other honours, Michelle received the Graham Perkin
Women’s Health in Society. Since 2008 she has been Professor Award as Australian Journalist of the Year in 1988. That same
Emerita, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. year, she delivered the Arthur Norman Smith Memorial Lecture
in Journalism. In 2006 she received the Walkley Award for
Throughout a distinguished academic career, Doreen has been Journalism Leadership. Michelle was made an Officer of the
a leading figure in our understanding of human development Order of Australia in 2004 in recognition of her long and
from childhood to old age, and in the application of behavioural distinguished service to Australian journalism.
research to promoting sexual health. Her research into adolescent
sexuality and sexual health refined and informed public policy Michelle has co-authored several books, including Can
in the era of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Doreen has been a member Ministers Cope? (1981), Reformers (1989) and Back on
of key national and state advisory committees including as the Wool Track (2004), and has edited collections such as
Deputy Chairperson of the Australian National Council on AIDS, Australian Prime Ministers and Reconciliation (both 2000).
Chairperson of the Council’s Education and Prevention Sub- A Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia,
Committee and a member of the Australian Health she served as an honorary Adjunct Professor in the University
Ethics Committee. of Queensland’s Department of Journalism, and since 2013
has served as a Professorial Fellow at the University of
Doreen served as a member of the Committee for Gender Canberra, also writing as Chief Political Correspondent for
Studies at the University of Melbourne from 1986. She is a Fellow The Conversation.
of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, is on the Victorian
Honour Roll of Women, and is an Honorary Life Member,
Victorian AIDS Council. In 2003 she was made Officer of the
Order of Australia (AO) for outstanding service nationally and
internationally to understanding of and research into adolescent
health, particularly in the fields of sexual health and HIV/AIDS.
In 2018 the University awarded her the Doctor of Science
(honoris causa) for her distinguished contributions to scientific
knowledge on human development and to the promotion of
health and well-being in marginalised populations.

18 LUCE Number 18 2019