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Tanya Monro Named SA Australian Of The Year 2011

Image courtesy of Jennie Groom

University of Adelaide physicist Professor Tanya Monro has been named South Australia’s Australian of the Year 2011.

The awards celebrate the achievement and contribution of eminent Australians who are considered “role models for us all” in helping to create a better Australia.

Professor Monro, who is the Director of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at the University, was presented with her award by the Governor of South Australia, His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR, at a ceremony held at the National Wine Centre of Australia.

She has been recognised for her work in the field of photonics – technology that allows the generation and control of light using glass optical fibres. This enables the creation of new tools for scientific research and solutions for problems in areas such as information processing, surgery, health monitoring, military technology, agriculture and environmental monitoring.

Professor Monro became the inaugural professor in photonics at the University of Adelaide in 2005. Her PhD research focused on developing new classes of optical fibres, for which she received the Bragg Gold Medal for the best physics PhD in Australia. In 2006, she was named as one of the top 10 brightest young minds in Australia by national science magazine Cosmos and, in 2008, she was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year.

Professor Monro is a member of the South Australian Premier’s Science & Research Council and regularly serves on a range of key national bodies in the area of science policy and evaluation.

She was one of four nominees for the SA Australian of the Year Award 2011, which also included Professor Peter-John (PJ) Wormald from the University of Adelaide’s Discipline of Surgery.

As winner of the SA Australian of the Year Award, Professor Monro will join recipients from all other States and Territories as a finalist for the national awards, to be announced on 25 January 2011 in Canberra.

On top of the South Australian Of The Year Award, Professor Tanya Monro has won a national Telstra Business Women’s Award, announced in Melbourne.

She has won the White Pages Community and Government Award, which recognises the outstanding achievements of women who work in government departments, statutory bodies or not-for-profit organisations.

Professor Monro was automatically entered into the national finals of the prestigious Telstra Business Women’s Awards by winning one of the awards at State level last month.

The awards recognise, reward and celebrate the achievements of inspirational women.

For more information about the awards, go to: www.telstrabusinesswomensawards.com

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