Congratulations to Dr Phil McFadden AO, former Geoscience Australia Chief Scientist and newly-inducted Officer of the Order of Australia.

Congratulations to Dr Phil McFadden AO, former Geoscience Australia Chief Scientist and newly-inducted Officer of the Order of Australia.

Dr McFadden receives this award: "For distinguished service to earth sciences as a geophysicist, through leadership of Australia's peak geoscience body, through collaboration and innovation in research, and to professional societies."

Dr McFadden is widely regarded as the world leader in geomagnetic analysis and its application for mineral exploration.

After joining Geoscience Australia's predecessor organisation, the Bureau of Mineral Resources, in 1982 Dr McFadden was rapidly promoted through the ranks to become the Chief of the Geophysical Observatories and Mapping Division and Head of ICT. In 1999, he was appointed Chief Scientist, a role he continued until his retirement in 2007.

Following his retirement, Dr McFadden has chaired the Australian Academy of Science's UNCOVER initiative, which he has participated in since its inception. UNCOVER is a call to the exploration geoscience community in industry, government and academia to collaborate on a scale not previously attempted in Australia. This strategy will ensure Australia has the opportunity to lead the world in under cover exploration.

Dr McFadden was also instrumental in Australia's role in the 34th International Geological Congress held in Brisbane in 2012; the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics held in Melbourne in 2011; and the establishment of the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

He was awarded the Jubilee Medal of the Geological Society of South Africa in 1977, and was elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 1991. He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1996.

Further information:

• Canberra Times article - Geoscience leader Dr Phillip McFadden breaks ground with Queen's Birthday honour

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