Professor Julian Savulescu (BMedSc(Hons) 1988, MBBS(Hons) 1988, PhD 1995)

Distinguished Alumni Award 2009

Professor Julian Savulescu is a world-leading ethics scholar. He holds the Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford.

A researcher, educator and communicator, Professor Savulescu promotes public discussion around the ethical issues of everyday life; from embryonic stem cell research to the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport.

Professor Savulescu was nominated by eminent philosopher Professor Peter Singer, who was his PhD supervisor. Professor Singer writes: “there is no doubt that the most distinguished and successful student I had during those 22 years [teaching at Monash] was Dr Julian Savulescu.”

Professor Savulescu pursued his PhD in philosophy after completing his medical degree at Monash University. He later established and was director of the Ethics of Genetics Unit at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne.

“Since Monash University’s own involvement in the development of in vitro fertilization, progress in the biomedical sciences has continued to pose ethical, legal and social issues that are important for the entire world. In that field, Julian Savulescu is playing an important international role,” Professor Singer comments.

Appointed to the Uehiro Chair in 2002 (while still aged in his 30s), Professor Savulescu is also director of Oxford’s Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Program on the Ethics of the New Biosciences and Centre for Neuroethics. He has published over 150 journal articles and is in great demand as a public speaker.

In supporting Professor Savulescu’s nomination, Professor Robert Champion de Crespigny AC commends him for “his energy and his never-failing drive to promote debate and discussion on important ethical issues in society.” Professor Champion de Crespigny comments: “One seldom meets someone who has made such a marked contribution to their field as Julian Savulescu.”

Download the video presentation about Professor Savulescu:
- Windows Media Video (WMV) (1.43 minutes duration, 5.1mb)
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- Text version

Photo credits

Final image: Michael Rayner / Fairfaxphotos
Profile with artwork: John Robertson www.jr-photos.com
Oxford skylines: Nasir Hamid