Bronwyn Jane Adams Memorial Award

This award was established in memory of Bronwyn Adams, a former member of the University who passed away suddenly in 1999 at the age of 48. Ms Adams was widely acknowledged as an exemplar of best practice as a manager and was passionate about the development of staff at all levels of the organisation. This award recognises outstanding professional staff by providing financial assistance to enable them to pursue a worthwhile activity in relation to their work. The proposed activity must be linked to a specific project or outcome that benefits the University and can include leadership, project or program development activities. Professional staff at all levels are encouraged to apply. The University awards up to two Bronwyn Jane Adams Memorial Awards annually to individuals and/or teams.

Nominators should address all three criteria listed below and explain how the award money would support the proposed development activity:

  • Propose a development activity that is clear in its purpose and links to a specific project/outcome
  • Propose a development activity that demonstrates potential for career development
  • Propose a development activity that links to achieving outcomes for the Faculty/business area and the University

See nomination process

About Bronwyn Jane Adams

Bronwyn Jane Adams, born 24 August 1950 in Melbourne, was a pioneering chemical engineer, university manager and consultant. Educated at Melbourne Church of England Girls Grammar and Monash University (BEng Hons, 1972), she was the first woman in Victoria to earn a chemical engineering degree. Employed by Altona Petrochemical Company in 1972 as its first female chemical engineer, she rose through production to become technical manager (1982) and later held marketing, human resources and operations leadership roles, also serving on the federal National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Council (1987–89).

In 1991 Adams joined the University of Melbourne’s school of chemistry as executive manager. Two years later she was appointed general manager of the university’s Institute of Education, where she worked closely with the dean of education, Kwong Lee Dow, during a period of major organisational change. She assisted with the implementation of the 1992 Maling-Taylor review of the Institute,

In 1996 she founded B. J. Adams & Associates, specialising in organisational change and management coaching, and completed graduate studies in psychological studies. A committed volunteer with Amnesty International, UNICEF and Earthwatch, she enjoyed horticulture and conservation. Adams died suddenly from a brain aneurysm on 5 February 1999; her legacy includes a University of Melbourne memorial award and a Monash prize recognising women in chemical engineering.

To read full biography

Honour Roll