University of Western Australia
An internationally recognised scientist and a highly cited environmental engineer from The University of Western Australia were inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame on International Women’s Day.
Emeritus Professors Elizabeth Rakoczy and Carolyn Oldham were recognised for their trailblazing careers which have helped shape and build the State.
Image: Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Rakoczy .
Emeritus Professor Rakoczy, a Hungarian-born molecular biologist who founded the Department of Molecular Ophthalmology at the Lions Eye Institute, was recognised in the category of health.
The first in Australia to apply molecular techniques to investigate eye diseases, Emeritus Professor Rakoczy’s group developed the gene therapy treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration, replacing monthly injection treatments.
She is from a generation of women who had to be leaders and innovators in their scientific field to make it into senior positions.
Image: Emeritus Professor Carolyn Oldham.
Emeritus Professor Oldham, who has worked in cross-disciplinary research in environmental engineering, collaborating across science, engineering, social sciences, and humanities, was recognised in the category of STEM.
She has made sustained contributions to preventing water contamination in Western Australia and worked at the interface between industry and academia.
Emeritus Professor Oldham has won national awards for her commitment to engineering education and supported students to work on real-world problems with government agencies and the not-for-profit sector.
For the past 15 years, Emeritus Professor Oldham has also led UWA’s gender equity initiatives.
The Women's Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates the social, economic, historical, scientific, cultural, and political achievements of women who have helped to build the State.
Sixteen women were recognised at this year’s event which encourages and empowers the community to be progressive and persuasive in advancing the status of women in society, helping to foster greater respect for women, and progress the conversation for gender equity.