Professor Allen Cheng AC appointed Companion of the Order of Australia in 2025 Australia Day Honours List
Infectious diseases specialist Professor Allen Cheng AC from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the General Division of the 2025 Australia Day Honours List. Professor Cheng was recognised for his eminent service to medicine as an epidemiologist, to infectious and communicable disease research and education, and to national and international public health policy.
Professor Cheng is currently the Director of Infectious Diseases at Monash Health and was previously the co-Head of the Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Unit at the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and simultaneously served as the Director of Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology at Alfred Health.
His research covers diverse areas within infectious diseases, including sepsis, influenza and vaccine effectiveness, hospital infection prevention and control, antibiotic pharmacokinetics, antimicrobial drug policy and clinical infectious diseases.
Professor Cheng has held senior roles on numerous government and policy advisory committees, including the Australian Technical Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-2021, he was seconded to the Victorian Department of Health to serve as the Deputy Chief Health Officer, a role that saw him provide expert advice to the government to guide Victoria’s pandemic response.
Numerous Australian working groups and clinical guidelines have also benefitted from his leadership and expertise, with Professor Cheng serving in roles such as the Past President of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases and a steering committee member for the National Prescribing Service Antibiotic Resistance Initiative.
Professor Cheng is also a Monash Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences alum, graduating with a Master of Public Health in 2008 and a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology in 2001.
Adjunct Clinical Professor in the School of Translational Medicine Professor John Fraser was also appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service to medicine, and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor Susan Mathers from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to medicine.
Monash Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences alumni Dr Kym Jenkins, Dr Vera Ignjatovic, Dr Katherine Martin and Dr Margaret Garde were also recognised.
Congratulations to all of our awardees on this significant celebration and recognition of their service to medicine and the wider community. For more information about the awards, visit the website of the Governer-General.
Award details:
Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the General Division
Professor Allen Cheng AC - School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Director of Monash Infectious Diseases at Monash Health
For eminent service to medicine as an epidemiologist, to infectious and communicable disease research and education, and to national and international public health policy
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the General Division
Professor John Fraser AO - Adjunct Clinical Professor, School of Translational Medicine
For distinguished service to medicine as an intensive care physician and surgeon, and to global critical care research.
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
Associate Professor Susan Mathers AM - Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor and Head of the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group
For significant service to medicine as a clinician, and to neurological research.
Dr Kym Jenkins AM - alumna, past Head of Education/Training in the Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health 2014-2015.
For significant service to psychiatry as a clinician, academic and in executive roles.
Dr Vera Ignjatovic AM - alumna
For significant service to medical science in paediatric disorders and proteomics, to promotion of STEM to under-represented populations, and as a mentor.
Dr Katherine Martin AM - alumna
For significant service to medicine, particularly trauma care and surgery, and to professional associations
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division
Ms Jayne Dicketts OAM - alumna
For service to community health, and to nursing.
Dr Margaret Garde OAM - alumna
For service to medicine, particularly through education.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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