Award-winning actor John (Jack) Thompson AM will receive a Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa at Charles Darwin University’s graduation ceremonies this Friday.
Mr Thompson will receive the award for his contribution to the Australian film industry and for his commitment to Indigenous Territorians. Through the Jack Thompson Foundation’s Homelands Building Program, Mr Thompson has worked to advance Indigenous culture.
Also to be honoured is the former Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor of CDU, Dr Charles Webb, who will receive an Emeritus Professorship. The award will be made in recognition of his academic leadership and outstanding contribution to the advancement of tertiary education in the Northern Territory.
The awards will be made at two ceremonies in which 1430 VET and Higher Education students will graduate.
Ten PhDs are to be awarded for research topics ranging from middle ear infections in Indigenous Australian children to creating a sense of community in culturally diverse places.
The ceremony for the Faculty of Engineering, Health, Science and the Environment; Menzies School of Health Research; VET School of Primary Industries; and the VET School of Health, Community and Children Services will be held at 11am.
Graduates from the Faculty of Law, Education, Business and Arts; Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education; VET School of Business and Service Industries; and the VET School of Trades will be recognised at the ceremony starting at 5pm.
Dr Webb will deliver the Occasional Address at the morning ceremony, while Jack Thompson will deliver the Occasional Address at the second ceremony. The welcome address for both ceremonies will be delivered by CDU Chancellor Her Honour the Honourable Sally Thomas, AM.
The ceremonies will be held at the Darwin Convention Centre on Friday 19 October 2012.