Griffith salutes service to the nation

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AC, AFC (Ret’d), has been awarded the degree of Doctor of the University at a graduation ceremony
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AC, AFC (Ret’d), with Chancellor Leneen Forde AC and Vice Chancellor Professor Ian O'Connor.

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AC, AFC (Ret’d), has beenawarded the degree of Doctor of the University ata graduation ceremonyat the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Vice Chancellor and President of Griffith, Professor Ian O’Connor said it is fitting that the University honours Air Chief Marshal Allan “Angus” Houston AC AFC for his distinguished service to the community and to the University.

“Air Chief Marshal Houston was widely respected in the Australian Defence Force, and in the wider community, for his extraordinary capacity for hard work, and for his professionalism, strategic vision and human touch,” Professor O’Connor said.

“He is also Patron of the Glycomics Childhood Leukaemia project where he works tirelessly for the Institute for Glycomics by assisting with critical fundraising.”

Born in Scotland in 1947, he immigrated to Australia in 1968 before joining the RAAF as a cadet pilot in 1970. In 2005, he was appointed to the highest position; Chief of the Defence Force, and during his six year tenure Air Chief Marshal Houston encountered the most number of military operations of any serving Chief.

In 2008 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia and recognised as Australian Father of the Year in 2011.

He is also the current Chair of the Order of Australia Council, a board member of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation and a patron of numerous charitable organisations of which the Glycomics Childhood Leukaemia project is just one.