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Accolades Continue for World Renowned UNE Researcher

April 27, 2006

Acram Taji, Professor of Horticulture at The University of New England, has been honoured by Flinders University, Adelaide, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary.

Professor Taji, who graduated from Flinders University in 1979 with a PhD in plant physiology, has received one of that university's inaugural Distinguished Alumni Awards.

The award recognises Professor Taji's contribution to teaching and research in horticultural science both in Australia and abroad, and her voluntary contribution to higher education in developing countries.

"The award came as a complete surprise," Professor Taji said. "I feel hugely honoured." The Chancellor of Flinders University, Sir Eric Neal, presented awards to 40 Distinguished Alumni - one for each year of the university's existence - during a ceremony followed by a Gala Dinner last month. The awards recognise the beneficial impact of the recipients' work on a wide range of individuals and communities.

Professor Taji's voluntary work in developing countries has included establishing a Master of Biotechnology degree course at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka in 1995 (followed by teaching and other duties associated with the course), and the running of workshops in the area of plant tissue culture in Fiji, Malaysia and the Solomon Islands. She has examined PhD theses for universities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Fiji, donating all the payments back to the institutions themselves towards scholarships for needy students. Professor Taji says that she remains grateful to her late parents who taught her the value of education, dedication and sacrifice for others which have put her in good stead during her life.

She has been honoured by a number of national and international research and teaching awards including "Lecturer of The Year" at the University of the South Pacific, the Japanese Prime Minister's Senior Research Fellowship for Foreign Specialists, the inaugural Australian Award for University Teaching, The Australian Society for Plant Propagators Recognition Award, the Australian Society of Plant Scientists prize, the Australian College of Educators and NSW Minister for Education and Training Quality Teaching Award, and the International Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology award for excellence in research.

Professor Taji, who is Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) in UNE's Faculty of The Sciences, is a highly experienced educator who is passionate about her job and feels privileged by the opportunity to be a university teacher. Her philosophy underpins her teaching and research. "I believe that education is not just about job skills, but about teaching people to be good global citizens," she said. "It's about building cohesive societies, and caring for the environment and for each other."

For further information please contact Professor Acram Taji: (02) 6773 2869

Posted by Gary Fry at April 27, 2006 09:06 AM