Professor Doreen Rosenthal AO

Sexuality and reproductive health are areas of scientific research where social and biological distinctions often overlap or are complex. "But it's really important to be able to translate research findings into policy that can make a real difference to people's lives," Doreen said.

The relative success of Australia's attempts to limit the spread of HIV AIDS has been achieved, in part, through the linking of work by researchers including Doreen with community leaders, educators and government. More recently, her work has explored homelessness and the critical roles played by parents, peers, the media, social institutions and youth culture in adolescent sexual adjustment.

In a distinguished academic career, Doreen is currently Director and Professor of Women's Health at Melbourne University's Key Centre for Women's Health in Society. Her views have been sought after by governments and academic institutions, both in Australia and internationally, and she has produced a series of widely respected publications. Doreen is on the editorial board, or is associate editor, of seven international journals and has held positions as a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, University of California (Los Angeles) and at universities in Italy, Greece and the United Kingdom. In 2003, Doreen was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in recognition of her contribution to adolescent health, particularly in the fields of sexual health and HIV/AIDS.

From the role of the Internet in adolescent romance to the pros and cons of abstinence education versus harm minimisation, Doreen's work covers areas of high community interest. Through her personal career as a leading Australian academic, and through her internationally recognised capacity to produce influential and insightful research, she has also helped to develop a new wave of researchers in these important areas of study.