Congratulations to the 2025 Dean’s Honours Awards recipients
The MDHS Dean’s Honours Awards were presented on Thursday 19 February to a room of applause and cheers as the winning students received their certificates in front of Heads of Schools, teaching and learning staff, family, friends and peers.
The awards recognise students who have either received the highest overall score for their degree (Academic Merit Award) or who have demonstrated one or more faculty values during their course (Faculty Values Award). Hosted by Acting Dean, Professor Mike McGuckin, a total of 37 awards were presented across 19 courses with a few students picking up both an Academic Merit Award and a Faculty Values Award.
For the first time, staff have been able to nominate students for Faculty Values Awards with an excerpt from the nomination read out during the proceedings.
Doctor of Medicine Faculty Values Award winner Dr Jerry Luo, was nominated for his “leadership in developing and delivering the UoM Student Clinical Ethics Committee.” While volunteering was a common reason that students were nominated, many course and subject coordinators were particularly impressed by a student’s conduct during placement. Amy Nielson in the Master of Professional Psychology won her Faculty Values Award for a particularly challenging placement in a primary school where she “navigated the complex intersection of student, parent, and teacher needs with exceptional professionalism and empathy.”
A full list of the student winners can be read below. Congratulations to all students and a thank you to the many teaching and learning staff who have contributed to their success.
Dean's Honours Awards 2025
School of Biomedical Sciences
Bachelor of Biomedicine – Academic Merit
Roderick Dong
Jiaqi Lu
Bachelor of Biomedicine – Faculty Values
Justin Lian
Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours) – Academic Merit
Jingen Ma
Master of Biomedical Science – Academic Merit
Scott Carter
Madeleine Jones
Mingyu Zhai
Melbourne Dental School
Bachelor of Oral Health – Academic Merit
Amy Vuong
Bachelor of Oral Health – Faculty Values
Oliver Wang
Doctor of Dental Surgery – Academic Merit
Jillian Lu
Doctor of Dental Surgery – Faculty Values
Zainab Dawari
Melbourne School of Health Sciences
Master of Speech Pathology – Academic Merit
Rachael Hallang
Master of Speech Pathology – Faculty Values
Amy Wortmann
Master of Social Work – Academic Merit
Vidushi Mehrotra
Master of Nursing Science – Academic Merit
Ben Richardson
Master of Nursing Science – Faculty Values
Kimia Taslimi
Master of Clinical Audiology – Academic Merit
Athena Koutsovasilis
Master of Clinical Audiology – Faculty Values
Anne Truong
Doctor of Optometry – Academic Merit
Alexandra Forman
Doctor of Optometry – Faculty Values
Alexandra Forman
Jessica Nguyen
Vanessa So
Doctor of Physiotherapy – Academic Merit
Sabina Heath
Doctor of Physiotherapy – Faculty Values
Jin Peng (Sharon) Poh
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences
Master of Applied Psychology – Academic Merit
Olivia Hartley
Master of Applied Psychology – Faculty Values
Olivia Hartley
Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology) – Academic Merit
Jessica Polhill
Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) – Academic Merit
Katia Lepore
Master of Professional Psychology– Academic Merit
Jessie-Marie Goldie
Master of Professional Psychology – Faculty Values
Amy Neilson
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Master of Public Health – Academic Merit
Madison La Pira
Master of Public Health – Faculty Values
Adenlau Khoo
Master of Biostatistics – Academic Merit
Benjamin Pearce
Melbourne Medical School
Master of Genetic Counselling – Academic Merit
Casidhe Goldsworthy
Master of Genetic Counselling – Faculty Values
Mia Hanley
Doctor of Medicine – Faculty Values
Lillian McCann
Jerry Luo