Professor Hugh R Taylor AC, the Harold Mitchell Chair of Indigenous Eye Health, was among a select group of Australia’s leaders in health and medical research to be recognised at Research Australia’s annual Awards Night at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum, on 15 November.
Professor Taylor was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of over 35 years devoted “to ophthalmic research and teaching and to improving lives through the design and delivery of community eye health care programs.”
Professor Taylor’s work has helped improve people’s lives through innovations in technology that effectively deliver community eye healthcare programs. According to Research Australia, his most commendable achievements are his work devoted to improving vision for people who live in the world’s most disadvantaged areas throughout the world, including remote Australia.
Professor Taylor, in conjunction with Andrea Boudville and Mitchell Anjou of the Indigenous Eye Health Unit authored The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision. The Roadmap, which puts forward policy recommendations containing 42 interlinked strategies that could eliminate avoidable blindness from within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, was launched this year in late February by the Federal Minister for Indigenous Health, Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, and the Chair of National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health (NACCHO), Justin Mohamed.
It was written as a result of the 2009 National Indigenous Eye Health Survey (NIEHS), which was led by Professor Hugh Taylor.
Professor Taylor’s… most commendable achievements are his work devoted to improving vision for people who live in the world’s most disadvantaged areas throughout the world
In June this year Professor Taylor received the Chanchlani Global Vision Research Award from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the Howe Medal from the American Ophthalmological Society. He was the first Australian to be awarded the Howe Medal.
Ita Buttrose Recognised
Ita Buttrose was also recognised at the Research Australia Awards night for her long-standing commitment to health and medical research. Ms. Buttrose received the Bupa Advocacy Award, which recognises a “notable Australian who has raised community awareness about the benefits of health and medical research and the need for increased funding for continued innovation in the industry”. Ms. Buttrose is currently Patron of the Macular Degeneration Foundation as well as National President of Alzheimer’s Australia; and Vice President Emeritus of Arthritis Australia. She was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her services to the community, especially in the field of public health education, for spearheading Australia’s HIV/AIDS Education Program.
Speaking of the Awards program, Elizabeth Foley, Chief Executive Officer of Research Australia said, “The Research Australia Awards recognise individuals and corporations for areas such as discovery, advocacy, philanthropy and lifetime achievement”.
“A robust health and medical research industry is crucial to ensuring Australia continues to lead the world in terms of innovation and improved patient care. We congratulate all of the recipients for their pioneering efforts and ongoing commitment to advancing the health and medical research industry in Australia”.
