Top honours bestowed on leading alumni

Honorary doctorates will be awarded to three leaders in their respective fields as part of the University of Adelaide's graduation ceremonies, beginning today, Monday 29 April.

Esteemed molecular and cellular biologist Professor Jane Visvader, social inclusion advocate Jane Sloane and media trailblazer Adele Ferguson AM will receive the honours in the historic Bonython Hall.

"The University of Adelaide is proud to acknowledge the achievements of our alumni Professor Jane Visvader, Jane Sloane and Adele Ferguson with honorary doctorates," said Professor Peter Høj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Adelaide.

"The University's high-achieving alumni are an inspiration to all our students, especially those who are celebrating their graduations this week.

"Our graduating students are taking their first steps into the future, and we look forward to watching as they become leaders."

Professor Visvader will be the first to receive her honorary doctorate as part of the Health and Medical Sciences Faculty ceremony on Tuesday, 30 April, with Ms Sloane recognised on Wednesday, 8 May and Ms Ferguson on Thursday, 9 May.

After initially focusing her research on cancer-causing genes and blood cancer in the United States, Professor Visvader returned to Australia in 1998 to establish a breast cancer laboratory at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

Under her leadership, her team identified the stem cell that generates the entire breast and defined the cellular hierarchy within the breast. This landmark discovery changed the course of our understanding of breast cancer and led to clinical trials of promising new treatments. 

Ms Sloane's grassroots approach to supporting communities through empowering individuals and organisations to make real change has bettered the lives of many people.

She has held leadership positions in World Vision, the Global Fund for Women and the International Women's Development Agency, which have created a global network of financial institutions to provide women with micro-loans, as well as environmental, water and sanitation programs across Asia and the Pacific.

Ms Ferguson is an acclaimed investigative journalist and is one of the country's most decorated and respected media figures, winning nine Walkley Awards and four National Press Club Honours.

She has held senior positions at The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review, where she undertook a series of joint ventures with Four Corners and 60 Minutes.   

Ms Ferguson now works for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's investigative unit, with her work appearing on Four Corners and 7.30, taking on issues which have sparked state and national inquiries.

All of the University of Adelaide's graduation ceremonies can be viewed online via livestream: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/live/

Media Contacts:

Rhiannon Koch, Media Officer, The University of Adelaide. Mobile: +61 (0)448 395 714. Email: [email protected]