A-C

A list of the University’s most decorated alumni, including Distinguished Alumni Award recipients, inductees to New Zealand’s Royal Honours system, and other notable achievements where available.

Names are ordered alphabetically by surname, from A-C.

A

Professor Max Abbott CNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2016: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health, science and education

Michael Absolum ONZM

  • King's Birthday Honours 2023: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education

Dr Francis Agnew MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2010: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Pacific Islands community

Bruce Aitken – Business

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2014
  • Former President and CEO of Vancouver–based Methanex Corporation

Dr Judith Aitken – BA, MPP, PhD

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2006

Richard Aitken ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2017: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and engineering

Ruth Ellina Aitken  DCNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2011: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to netball

Barbara Ala'alatoa MNZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014

Gretchen Albrecht – DipFA with Honours

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 1999

Professor Charles Alcock – BSc with Honours (1973), PhD CalTech (1978)

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2012
  • Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2006
  • Received the American Astronomical Society’s Beatrice M Tinsley Award in 2001
  • Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2001
  • Received the US Department of Energy’s Ernest O Lawrence Award for Physics in 1996

Foumana Alene-Tumataiki QSM

  • New Year's Honours 2018: Queen's Service Medal for services to the Niue community and education

Sandra Alofivae MNZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Pacific community and youth

Edith Amituanai  MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2019: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Photography & the Community

Arthur Amputch OMNZ

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2019: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to engineering

Dr Helen Anderson CNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2010: Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology

Ryan Archibald MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2021: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Hockey

Jane Arnott MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2021: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Pacific communities & conservation

Margaret Armour QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Queen's Service Medal for services to the community

Sir Ian Athfield KNZM – DipArch

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 1997
  • New Year’s Honours 2015

Luisa Avaiki MNZM

  • New Year's Honours 2019: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Rugby League

Sir Graeme Avery KNZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014

Dr Ngahuia Te Awekotuku MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2010: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori culture

B

Dr Allan Badley – PhD

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2003

Judy Bailey ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2010: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to broadcasting and the community

John Baird MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2022: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and governance

Dr Michael Baker MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2021: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to public health science

Professor Ted Baker

  • Royal Society of New Zealand’s Liley Medal for medical and health science in 2008

Alison Balance MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2017: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to natural history, filmmaking and broadcasting

Mark Robert Ball JP QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2013: Queen’s Service Medal for services to the community

Dr Mary Ballantyne QSM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2018: Queen's Service Medal for services to Women's & Children's Health

Naomi Ballantyne ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2017: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the insurance industry

Franceska Banga ONZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and the community

The Honourable John Archibald Banks CNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2011: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to local body affairs

Sir David Baragwanath KNZM – LLB, BCL

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2006
  • New Year’s Honours 2011: Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a judge of the Court of Appeal

Turanga Barclay-Kerr CNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2020: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Maori & heritage commemoration

Christopher Barfoot QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2015

Margaret Barrell MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2024: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a hymn writer

Christina Barton MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2021: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to art history & curation

Peter Barrett NZAM

  • New Year’s Honours 2010: New Zealand Antarctic Medal for services to Antarctic science

Dr Jonathan Baskett ONZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2015

Dr Michael Bassett  CNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2018: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a historian

Metuakore Bates-Fa'asisila QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Queen's Service Medal for services to the Cook Islands community

Jacquie Bay NZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2017: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to science and education

Jennifer Beck ONZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2015

Robin Henry Eden Beckett MNZM

  • New Year Honours 2009: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the design industry

Judge Andrew Becroft QSO – BA/LLB with Honours (1984)

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2010
  • Principal Youth Court Judge of New Zealand since 2001
  • Assisted with the establishment of the Mangere Community Law Centre in 1986
  • Appointed to the Wanganui District Court in 1996
  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2022: Queen's Service Medal for services to judiciary, children and youth

Dr Richard Bedford  CNZM, QSO

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2020: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Governance

Professor Margaret Bedggood  CNZM, QSO

  • New Year’s Honours 2019: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Human rights law

David Beeche CNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2024: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sports administration.

Raewyn Bhana JP QSM

  • New Year's Honours 2018: Queen's Service Medal for services to the community

Debes Bhattacharyya

  • Hind Rattan (Jewel of India) in 2010
  • Glory of Bengal for significant professional contributions to engineering in 2010

Alan Bickers JP MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2015

Dr Roderick Bieleski MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2010: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to horticultural science

Emeritus Professor Bruce Biggs – MA

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2001

William Birnie CNZM

New Year’s Honours 2018: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governenace, the arts and sport

Emeritus Professor Judith Binney – BA, MA

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2007

Gavin John Bishop ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2013: For services to children's literature

Judge Charles Blackie VRD QSO

  • New Year’s Honours 2017: Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for services to the judiciary and the community

John Blakey ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2022: Appointed to The Order of New Zealand for services to education

Rt Hon Sir Peter Blanchard KNZM – LLB (1966), LLM (1968), LLM Harvard (1969)

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2011
  • Judge of the Supreme Court since 2004
  • Partner in Auckland law firm Simpson Grierson
  • Director of several listed companies
  • Appointed to the High Court in 1992
  • Appointed to the Court of Appeal in 1996
  • Member of the Law Commission from 1990-1994
  • Appointed a Privy Councillor in 1998

Professor Frank Bloomfield ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2024: Appointed to The Order of New Zealand for services to neonatology

Associate Professor Robert Boas ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2010: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to medicine, in particular pain management

Susan Boland MNZM

  • New Year's Honours 2020: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Music & Seniors

Dr Alan Esmond Bollard CNZM – BA, MA, PhD

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 1998
  • New Year’s Honours 2013: Awarded for services to the state

Joel Bolton QSO

  • New Year’s Honours 2017: Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for services to music

John Bongard ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2010: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business
  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2019

Nigel Borell MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2022: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Maori art

Robyn Boswell QSM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2009: Queen's Service Medal for services to education

Philippa Boyens – BA

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2006

Yvonne Boyes QSM

  • For services to health, nursing & cancer treartment

Emeritus Professor John Boys CNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2015

Dr Privahini Bradoo – Btech (2002), PhD (2008), MBA Harvard (2008)

  • Young Alumna of the Year 2012
  • Harvard Alumni New Venture Award 2011
  • Speaker at the TEDx Auckland conference
  • Named one of New Zealand’s top ten business influencers by Unlimited magazine in 2011
  • Helped found Spark (now Velocity) and Chiasma at the University of Auckland, two initiatives focused on promoting entrepreneurship in New Zealand
  • Co–founder and CEO of BioMine, a green mining start-up aimed at recycling metals sustainably and economically from electronic waste
  • Represented BioMine on the Obama Administration task force on e–e-waste

Dr Greg Brick FRACS – BSc (1974), MBChB (1977)

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2011
  • Established the Brick Family Scholarship to fully fund an undergraduate at the University of Auckland School of Medicine in 2004
  • Listed in Boston Magazine as one of Boston’s best orthopaedic surgeons

Professor Margaret A Brimble DNZM MNZM FRSNZ CNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to science
  • 2019 Queen’s Honour–Dame Companion New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Science

Margareth Broodkoorn ONZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health and Maori

Dame Jo Brosnahan DNZM, QSO

  • King's Birthday Honours 2023: For services to governance and business

Broughton Professor John Broughton ED CNZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori health, theatre and the community

Mick Brown – LLD

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2002

Gaynor Brown QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Queen's Service Medal for services to education

Marie Brown MNZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014

Rachel Brown ONZM

  • New Year's Honours 2018: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sustainable business development

Diane Edith Brown MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2013: For services as a writer and educator

Linda Bryant ONZM

  • New Year's Honours 2022: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to pharmacy and health

Dianne Buchan QSM

  • King's Birthday Honours 2023: Queen's Service Medal for services to the community and environment

Sir John Buchanan KNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire for services to industry

Elisabeth Phyllis June Burgess MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2011: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to women's health

Henri Burkhardt MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2015

Russell Burt MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2020: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to primary education

Dorothy Butler – BA, DipEd

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2001

Christine Bygrave QSM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2019: Queen's Service Medal for services to the Community

C

Amanda Catherine Calder QSM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2011: Queen's Service Medal for services to the community

Murray Cammick ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2020: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Music industry

Associate Professor Ian David Campbell ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2013: For services to breast cancer treatment and research

Dr John Carnachan MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to medicine and the community

Niki Caro – BFA, MFA

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2004

Dr John Manley Carter MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2011: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to medicine

Victoria Carter ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2016: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts, business and the community

Sir Ron Carter ONZ KNZM – Honorary Doctorate in Engineering (2001)

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2008
  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014: Awarded for services to Business and Engineering
  • Distinguished Fellow and former President of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand

Castle Len Castle – BSc

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2004

Dr Rosemary Cathcart ONZM, QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2024: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to gifted children

Kristina Cavit MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2018: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Youth & Community

Emeritus Professor Carrick Chambers – MSc, PhD Sydney, CSIRO

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2008
  • Appointed Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney in 1986
  • Professor of Botany at the University of Melbourne for 20 years

Professor Stephen Chan OBE

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2010: Awarded for services to Africa and to higher education

Richard Chandler – BCom, MCom (1982)

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2009
  • Founder of Singapore–based investment group Orient Global
  • Rated one of Asia’s top 50 philanthropists by Forbes magazine
  • Established a US$100 million fund dedicated to improving the quality and availability of education for low–income communities in the developing world

Haami Chapman QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Queen's Service Medal for services to Māori

John Chen – MMus

  • Young Alumnus of the Year 2008
  • Received his master’s degree from the University of Auckland at the age of 18
  • Youngest-ever winner of the Sydney International Piano Competition in 2004

Vincent Cheng – PhD

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2002

Pip Cheshire – CNZM, BArch

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2003
  • New Year's Honours 2024: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to architecture

Dr William John Childs ED MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2013: For services to health

Karl Chitham ONZM

  • King's Birthday Honours 2023: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts

Kitty Chiu QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Queen's Service Medal for services to the community

Mike Chunn ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2015

Dr James Church – MBChB, MMedSci

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2008
  • Member of the first graduation class at the University of Auckland School of Medicine

Professor Ian Civil MBE ED CNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2016: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health

James Clovis Clad MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2011: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to New Zealand–United States of America relations

Linda Clapham MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2015

Professor George Raymond Clark MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2009: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to biochemistry

The Right Honourable Helen Clark ONZ

  • New Year’s Honours 2010: Appointed to The Order of New Zealand for services to New Zealand

Philip Clarke ONZM

  • King's Birthday Honours 2023: Appointed to The Order of New Zealand for services to arts governance

John Clark QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2019: Queen’s Service Medal for services to the community

Dame Marie Clay – PhD

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2004

Moira Clunie MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2022: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit  for services to LGBTQI+ communities

Dr David Codyre MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2020: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Mental Health

Dr Lynne Coleman MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2015

Professor Terry Collins – BSc, MSc, PhD

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2007

Glenn Colquhoun – BA MBChB

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2005

Sandra Coney CNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2010: Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to women's health

Dr Andrew Connolly MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2019: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Health

Bronwen Connor MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2018: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to treatment of Neurological Disorder

Rochelle Constantine ONZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2018: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to wildlife conservation & marine bio

Jocelyn Cooney QSM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2018: Queen's Service Medal for services to the Community

Dr Jeremy Cooper MNZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2012: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for service to medicine

Brian Phillip Najib Corban

  • New Year Honours 2009: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to the community

Lindsay Corban ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2019: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governance

Maureen Corby CNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2020: Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to early childhood education

Robyn Corrigan MNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2022: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to social work

Elizabeth Coutts ONZM

  • Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governance

Sir Russell Coutts KNZM CBE – Engineering (1987)

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 2015
  • Olympic Gold Medal–winning sailor
  • Five-time winner of the America’s Cup
  • Co-designer of the RC44 high performance yacht
  • Conceiving and co–designing the RC44, a one–design, a monohull class yacht raced throughout the world

Dr Penelope Brook Cowan – BA, MA

  • Distinguished Alumni Award 1998

Evelyn Coxon CNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2021: Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to Pacific & tertiary education

Neil Craig ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2016: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and philanthropy

Professor Robert Crawford CNZM

  • Queen's Birthday Honours 2015: Companion of The New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to tertiary education

Professor Emeritus Glynnis Marjory Cropp ONZM

  • New Year’s Honours 2013: For services to research in the humanities

Dr Jeanette Rosemary Crossley MNZM

  • New Year Honours 2009: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to science, in particular Addison's Disease

Elizabeth Curtis QSM

  • New Year’s Honours 2019: Queen's Service Medal for services to Girls Brigade