Congratulations to Associate Professor Dorothy Watts, who has just been made a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia. Dorothy has been recognized “For significant service to tertiary education, particularly the study of ancient history, as an administrator, academic and author.”
Dorothy has been an integral part of the life of the discipline of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Queensland since she first arrived here as a student. After completing her doctorate at the University in 1988, she was appointed to a lectureship in 1990 and was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer and then Associate Professor. She was Head of Department between 1997 and 2002.
Dorothy is a distinguished scholar of Roman Britain. Her three books and numerous articles on the topic are extremely well regarded. In 1997, she was made a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, which recognizes her high status in the field.
As well as a highly regarded researcher, Dorothy has a tremendous reputation as a teacher. She was deeply committed to engaging with secondary school students and was instrumental in organizing numerous highly successful outreach programs. As well as teaching at the University she advised bodies such as the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies and its successors. Since retiring she has continued to serve with great commitment, and to our great profit, as a driving force within the Friends of Antiquity and the RD Milns Classics and Ancient History Perpetual Endowment Fund. She has also served, and continues to serve, her wider profession through her membership of bodies such as the Queensland Friends of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens.
We are very proud that Dorothy Watts has received this recognition.