Media releases

Federation University Australia has congratulated Professor Caroline Finch for receiving an Order of Australia (AO) in this year’s Australia Day Awards. 

Professor Finch received her award ‘for distinguished service to sports medicine, particularly in the area of injury prevention as an educator, researcher and author, and to the promotion of improved health in athletes and those who exercise’.

She is the University’s Executive Dean of Graduate Studies and also Research Director of the University’s Australian Centre for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention (ACRISP).

The Centre is one of only 10 centres worldwide recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a Research Centre for the Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health.

“Professor Finch’s work at Federation University Australia is outstanding. Her research leadership in sports medicine and injury prevention is an inspiration and her scholarship has had a significant impact on the lives and well-being of many sports participants,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett said.   

“She is a very worthy recipient of this award and deserves our accolades.”

Professor Finch said she was thrilled to receive the Australia Day honour and to be recognised in her area of expertise.

“Injury prevention is a crucially important discipline. It is very pleasing to be recognised for the impact of my career’s work and to know that my research and sports safety advocacy efforts already have made a big difference to the Australian community.”

Professor Finch said there was still much more work to be done and research needed to advance the field.

“This award encourages me to further pursue my work in this field and to ensure that everything I do continues to be of the highest benefit to all those who play sport or undertake exercise for health.”

Professor Finch has been ranked as one of the 10 most highly published injury researchers of all time and in the top three most influential sports medicine researchers internationally.

In 2015, she was awarded the International Distinguished Career Award from the American Public Health Association’s Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section.

Professor Finch contributes to the editorial boards of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Injury Prevention, Journal of Science & Medicine in Sport, Injury Epidemiology and Sports Medicine.

Her research has been used to inform safety policy by Government Departments of Sport and Health, health promotion/injury prevention agencies, and peak sports bodies worldwide.