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At
age 80, Dr Gwendoline Carlos (left) is the oldest woman on record to graduate
with a PhD from Monash University.
Dr Carlos took nine years to complete her PhD in Education, in which she examined how the education of deaf children in Victoria developed and changed after 1945.
Prior to that, she spent three years writing the pre-1945 history of the Victorian Deaf and Dumb School in St Kilda Road (where she used to teach) for her Master in Education.
Her husband, George, also completed his bachelors and masters degrees at Monash.
Dr Carlos investigated influencing factors on the education of deaf children, such as the influx of new ideas from immigrants and the government taking responsibility for deaf education in the 1950s, which led to more schools and support for the deaf in Victoria.
She also discussed the 'deaf power movement' in which the deaf community wanted to keep themselves separate from the hearing world.
This made them reluctant to embrace methods of communication and technology that would give them better access to the hearing world, such as the cochlear implant and teaching the deaf to speak instead of relying on sign language, she said.
Dr Carlos said she decided to undertake further study after retiring from teaching at Methodist Ladies College in 1982.
"I had a bit of a flair for writing and I was interested in research - and I had the time then to go back to university," she said.
"I believe that as you get older, you should still keep yourself mentally and physically fit."
The oldest man on record to receive a PhD is Dr Jan Kolm, who graduated with a law doctorate at age 82 in 2000.
Internationally
renowned neuroscientist Emeritus Professor Robert Porter received the highest
honour for his contribution to medicine in the Australia Day awards.
Professor Porter (pictured), 68, was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for his achievements in neurophysiology and the management of medical research and education over the past 40 years in Australia, the UK and North America.
"I'm very proud to be recognised, but I feel my greatest contribution has been in training and mentoring students and doctors in their careers and providing an educational environment to produce the best doctors in Australia," he said.
He completed his research and curriculum development in neurophysiology almost exclusively during his years at Monash from 1967 to 1979, when he was professor of physiology. His work has had an impact on the treatment of neurological diseases, particularly in the rehabilitation of patients after stroke and head injury.
Professor Porter helped boost the profile of Australian medical research during the 1980s, when he chaired the Medical Research Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council.
From 1980 to 1989, he served as director of the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University.
He then returned to Monash for nine years as dean of the Faculty of Medicine, also spending some time as deputy vice-chancellor (Research).
Professor Porter revamped the medical curriculum at Monash to include clinical experience, better integration of scientific and clinical medical content, and ethics and problems related to ageing and cross-cultural issues.
He retired from Monash in 1998 and moved to Townsville, where he has been engaged in developing a community-oriented medical school with an emphasis on rural, remote and indigenous health.
Other current and former Monash staff and alumni who received Australia Day Honours were:
Mr Alistair Lloyd, fellow of the Faculty of Pharmacy, for service to the pharmacy profession and patient care through the integration of pharmacy, medical and nursing services, and for improving labelling on medications and standardising prescription conventions.
Mrs Janet Hailes Michelmore (BA 1975, DipEd 1976) for service to women, particularly through education campaigns to raise public awareness of women's health issues and services provided by the Jean Hailes Foundation.
Mr Geoffrey Connard (PhC 1947) for service to medical administration and to the community, particularly through health care and medical research institutions.
Mr James Kimpton (LLB Hons 1969) for service to the aviation industry, particularly aircraft manufacturers and assemblers, through revision and rewriting of the Civil Aviation Regulations and chairing of the Program Advisory Panel.
Ms Claire Mitchell-Taverner (BA 1996) for service to sport as a gold medallist in hockey at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Dr Desmond Parker (EdD 1998) for service to education, particularly as the founding principal or St Paul's Anglican Grammar School at Warragul, and as an educational administrator.
Mr John Manning (MEnvSc 1982, MBA 1987) for outstanding public service in the field of geodesy, and in enhancing Australia's international profile as a world leader in this area.
Ms Jennifer Theisinger (BA 1986) for outstanding public service and innovation in the field of palliative care administration.
Dr Anthony Robinson (PhD Sci 1977) for outstanding public service and innovation in the field of conservation in South Australia.
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