The University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Queensland Advanced Biomanufacturing Network

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Terry; Provost, Professor Aidan Byrne; Director of the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Professor Alan Rowan; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen. 

 

I too acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands around Brisbane, and pay my respects to Elders.

 

Earlier this week, I was deeply honoured to accept the invitation to become UQ’s ‘Official Visitor’. I believe the letter was sent this afternoon!

 

In fulfilling these duties, I will draw on the rich tradition of vice-regal support and advocacy for UQ, which go all the way back to the University’s inception in 1909, when Queensland’s eleventh Governor, Sir William MacGregor granted Assent to the University of Queensland Bill and served as the University’s first Chancellor.

 

There is also a personal connection to Sir William.

 

Like me, he was a medical doctor before he was appointed Governor – he even served as chief health officer, albeit in Fiji, before embarking on a vice-regal career.  

But he was also instrumental in the establishment of Queensland’s first medical school at UQ… a school which subsequently educated my husband, Graeme.

 

I think the school and the University did quite a good job on that front!

 

In my former life as Chief Health Officer, and now as Governor, it has been a great privilege to see first-hand the depth and reach of Queensland’s capability in the sciences and advanced manufacturing.

 

We have so much to be proud of.

 

As a State, we owe a great debt of gratitude to pioneering researchers and administrators at organisations like the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.

 

This is especially the case during the past 18 months, as the Institute has continued to push the frontiers of translational research during the pandemic.

 

I thank and congratulate the University, and the Institute, under the directorship of Professor Rowan, for organising tonight’s networking event.

 

I applaud each of you for taking the time to be here, to expand your professional networks and help sustain the culture of innovation and collaboration which ultimately underpins wider prosperity in Queensland.

 

Finally, I congratulate the recipient of the AIBN Translational Research Medal I will shortly assist with presenting.

 

All of you are wonderful people, doing incredibly important work, and you have Graeme’s and my full support and admiration. Thank you.