Millis, Nancy Fannie (1922 - 2012)

Summary

Nancy Millis was Professor of Microbiology at the University of Melbourne from 1982 to 1987, having joined the University as a lecturer in 1956. She was the first to develop a course in applied microbiology at an Australian university and worked to establish links between universities and industry. Millis was widely recognised for her expertise in fermentation processes, having been one of Australia's pioneers in this field. Other research interests included wastewater and environmental biotechnology. After retiring in 1991, Millis served 15 years as Chancellor of La Trobe University. From 1981 to 2000 she chaired the Commonwealth Government Recombinant DNA Monitoring Committee (later the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee). Millis is commemorated in a number of awards for excellence available to undergraduates and postgraduates. In 2014 the Australian Academy of Science inaugurated the Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science for mid-career female researchers in any field of the natural sciences who have established an independent research program and demonstrated exceptional leadership in their field.

Details

Chronology

1945

Education - Bachelor of Agricultural Science (BAgSci), University of Melbourne

1946

Education - Master of Agricultural Science (MAgSc), University of Melbourne

1949 - 1952

Career position - Boots Scholar, Bristol University

1951

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Bristol University

1952

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Bristol University, England

1953 - 1982

Career position - Lecturer in Microbiology, University of Melbourne

1954

Career position - Fulbright Travel Grant

1967 - 1981

Career position - Member of Committee, Victorian Institute of Colleges

1967 - 1981

Career position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences

1975 - 1986

Career position - Member, National Commissions UNESCO

31 Dec 1976

Award - Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) - for biological sciences and education

1977 - 1987

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (FTS)

1978 - 1980

Career position - President, Australian Society for Microbiology

1978 - 1990

Career position - Member, Australian Water Research Advisory Committee

1981 - 1987

Career position - Chair, Commonwealth Government Recombinant DNA Monitoring Committee

1982

Career position - Rubbo Orator, Australian Society for Microbiology

1982 - 1987

Career position - Professor of Microbiology, University of Melbourne

1987 - 2001

Career position - Chair, Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee

1987 - 2012

Award - Life member, Australian Society of Microbiology

1987 - 2012

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) [Awarded by AATS 1977]

1988

Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne

1988 - 1993

Career position - Member of Council, Australian Institute of Marine Science

11 Jun 1990

Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - for service to science particularly in the field of microbiology and its application to industry

1992 - 1994

Career position - Member of the Board, Melbourne Water

1992 - 2006

Career position - Chancellor, La Trobe University, Victoria

1993

Award - Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa, University of Melbourne

1993 - 1996

Career position - Member, Victorian Board of Studies

1993 - 2005

Career position - Member of the Board, CRC for Freshwater Ecology

1995 - 1997

Career position - Board member, Parks and Waterways Victoria

1995 - 2008

Career position - Chairman of the Board, CRC for Water Quality and Treatment

1998 - 2012?

Career position - Member, Food Safety Council

1999 - 2012

Award - Fellow, Royal Society of Victoria (FRSV)

1 Jan 2001

Award - Centenary Medal - for being one of the pioneers of the study of fermentation technology in Australia

2002 - 2012

Award - Life Member, AusBiotech

2003

Award - Doctor of Laws (LLD), honoris causa, University of Melbourne

2004 - 2012

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

2007

Award - Clunies Ross Lifetime Achievement Award, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

2009

Award - Rosalind Franklin Award, Victorian Department of Primary Industries

Related entries

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• McCarthy, Gavan; Morgan, Helen; Smith, Ailie; van den Bosch, Alan, Where are the Women in Australian Science?, Exhibition of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, First published 2003 with lists updated regularly edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 2003, https://eoas.info/exhibitions/wisa/wisa.html. Details

Books

• Bhathal, Ragbir, Profiles, Australian women scientists (Canberra: National Library of Australia, 1999), 191 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Morrison, Sally, 'Nancy Millis: Microbiology 'Boots and All'' in On the Edge of Discovery: Australian Women in Science, Farley Kelly, ed. (Melbourne: Text Publishing Company, 1993), pp. 155-177. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Nancy Millis: a life in science', The University of Melbourne Voice, 5 (2) (2009). http://archive.uninews.unimelb.edu.au/news/5817/index.html. Details
• 'Girl's own adventure', The University of Melbourne Voice, 8 (5) (2012). http://voice.unimelb.edu.au/volume-8/number-5/girl%E2%80%99s-own-adventure. Details
• Allen, Nessy, 'Test Tubes and White Jackets: the Careers of Two Australian Women Scientists [Beryl Nashar and Nancy Millis]', Journal of Australian Studies, 21 (52) (1997), 126-137. Details
• Morrison, Sally, 'Pick of the Crop: the Early Years of Nancy Millis', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, 122 (2010), ii-ix. Details
• Pittard, A. J., 'Nancy Fanny Millis 1922-2012', Historical Records of Australian Science, 24 (2) (2013), 283-93, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR13006. Details
• Pittard, Jim, 'Tribute to Nancy Millis', Microbiology Australia, 34 (1) (2013), 55-6. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6962855. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/66110631. Details
• 'Nancy Millis - Citation at year of election, 2004', The Academy's Fellows [including profiles and other relevant links], Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, 2019, https://www.science.org.au/profile/nancy-millis. Details
• Nancy Millis Medal, Australian Academy of Science, 2022. https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/nancy-millis-medal-women-science. Details
• 'Millis, Nancy F', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-506333. Details
• 'Awarded honorary LLD, 2003', Honorary degree holders, University of Melbourne, 2023, https://about.unimelb.edu.au/notable-alumni-staff/honorary-degree-holders. Details
• 'Awarded honorary DSc, 1993', Honorary degree holders, University of Melbourne, 2023, https://about.unimelb.edu.au/notable-alumni-staff/honorary-degree-holders. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Nancy Millis - pioneer of fermentation technology', in The 1997 Australian Science Festival, 1997, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/other/asf_scientists.htm#nancy. Details
• 'Millis, Nancy Fannie (1922-), Biographical Entry', in Australian Women's Archives Project, National Foundation for Australian Women, 2002, http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/IMP0112b.htm. Details
• Millis, Nancy, 'Interview with Dr Gretna Weste (1917-2006), botanist', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 8 Jun 2000, https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/dr-gretna-weste-1917-2006. Details
• Morrison, Sally, 'Interview with Professor Nancy Millis, microbiologist', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 21 Feb 2001, https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/professor-nancy-millis. Details

See also

• Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Handbook 2001 (Victoria: Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, 2001), 271 pp. Details
• Who's who in Australia 2012 (Melbourne: Crown Content Pty Ltd, 2012), 2430 pp. Details
• Gillbank, Linden, 'Into the Land of the Mountain Cattlemen: Maisie Fawcett's Ecological Investigations on the Bogong High Plains' in On the Edge of Discovery: Australian Women in Science, Farley Kelly, ed. (Melbourne: Text Publishing Company, 1993), pp. 133-154. Details
• Kelly, Farley, 'Learning and Teaching Science: Women Making Careers 1890-1920' in On the Edge of Discovery: Australian Women in Science, Farley Kelly, ed. (Melbourne: Text Publishing Company, 1993), pp. 35-75. Details
• Rasmussen, Carolyn, 'Science was so Much More Exciting: Six Women in the Physical Sciences' in On the Edge of Discovery: Australian Women in Science, Farley Kelly, ed. (Melbourne: Text Publishing Company, 1993), pp. 105-131. Details