Leaders in the fields of engineering, medicine, business and education are among a high-profile group of UNSW academics recognised in this year's Australia Day honours.

The University congratulates the honours’ recipients, who include administrators, researchers, former staff, advisers and alumni.

Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) are:

Professor Wai Fong Chua, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise Systems) – For service to tertiary education as an administrator, through research and leadership in the discipline of accounting and as a mentor.

Emeritus Professor John Baird, former Rector of UNSW CanberraFor service to higher education, particularly through the Australian Defence Force Academy, and to the discipline of engineering as an academic and researcher.

Professor Martin Green, Executive Research Director, ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence – For service to science education as an academic and researcher, particularly through the development of photovoltaic solar cell technology, and to professional associations.

Professor Philip Brown, Australian School of BusinessFor service to education in the disciplines of accounting and finance, and to professional associations.

Professor Paul Fagan, Faculty of MedicineFor service to medicine as an otological skull-based surgeon, to a range of professional associations, and to medical education.

Emeritus Professor Eugenie Lumbers, Faculty of MedicineFor service to the medical sciences in the fields of physiology and pharmacology as a researcher, academic and administrator, and to the community.

Associate Professor Alan Watson, Faculty of Arts and Social SciencesFor service to the international community as founder of the Katoke Trust for Overseas Aid, to the people of Tanzania, and to education.

Dr Michele Bruniges, Faculty of Arts and Social SciencesFor service to public administration through executive roles, and as a contributor to reform in the education sector at state and national levels.

Other AM recipients include Dr Sandra Anderson (Medicine), Mr Ken McAlpine (Arts and Social Sciences); and receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) are Mrs Joan Ford (Australian School of Business) and Dr Leslie Woollard (Faculty of Medicine).