The King’s Birthday Honours List 2023

Congratulations are extended to former CJ student, Distinguished Professor Kingsley Dixon, AO of the Class of 72, on his award of the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) announced in the King’s Birthday Honours List of 2023.  The short citation of the award is:

“For distinguished service to conservation biology, particularly ecological research and restoration, and to tertiary education.”

Following the gaining of his Doctorate, Kingsley commenced at the Kings Park Botanical Garden as the foundation Director of Science.  He has led for many years a world renowned plant and conservation research centre.  In the early 1990s Kingsley led a team that discovered the role of smoke from bushfires in the germination of plants, providing the capacity to renew the landscape following the destruction caused by fire.  The work in isolating the chemicals involved and the role of a molecule, karrikikinolide, that was you identified in the research can only be described as pioneering.

The orchid species, Caleana dixonii, was named after Kingsley and for his work, he was the second Australian botanist to be awarded the international Linnean Medal.  In 2015, Kingsley was appointed as a Distinguished Professor by Curtin University and in 2016, he was celebrated as the WA Scientist of the Year.  

The award of the AO is a prestigious honour and acknowledges Kingsley’s many years of work in the science field.  In 2022 Kingsley was acknowledged as a Champion of CJ and it is with great delight that the CJ school community rejoice in the success of Kingsley Dixon, AO as a botanist, conservationist and university educator.  Congratulations.