Patricia Grimshaw AO

In a 30-year teaching career at the University of Melbourne, Patricia Grimshaw AO has pioneered the study of women's history. From the first feminist history of Australia to a collection of letters written by Indigenous women, her writings and research have allowed us to hear the voices of women who would have otherwise been left silent.

Through her studies of the impact of colonisation on the Indigenous people of New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, she has helped to explore similarities and differences in Australian history. As a lecturer, she has helped to inspire and develop new generations of researchers in women's history and women's studies. She has supervised more than 60 Masters and PhD students and her lectures have influenced hundreds more.

As an administrator and activist, Patricia's leadership has helped to build the profile and position of women in academic research and administration.

For 13 years she held the Max Crawford Chair in History at the University of Melbourne and for much of that time was also deputy dean in the Faculty of Arts.

She is also the author of many books and academic research articles and sits on the editorial board of a number of international journals. Patricia is a fellow of both the Australian Academy of Social Sciences and the Academy of Humanities and from 1995 to 2000 was the president of the International Federation for Research in Women's History.

In 2007, along with fellow Honour Roll inductee Marilyn Lake, she presented a keynote address at the Victorian Women's Suffrage and Political Citizenship Conference.

Patricia's extraordinary academic contribution has been described as retrieving women's history. In undertaking this task, she has helped us to reassess and more deeply appreciate the enormous contribution made by women to Australia.