Person

Hetzel, Basil Stuart (1922 - 2017)

AC KCSJ

Born
1922
Golders Green, London, England
Died
4 February 2017
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Occupation
Medical scientist and University Administrator

Summary

During his time as Chief of the CSIRO Division of Human Nutrition (1975-1985), Dr Basil Stuart Hetzel conducted pioneering research that established the link between iodine deficiency and impeded brain development in foetal animals and humans. In 1986 he left the CSIRO to establish the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, of which he was Executive Director. Hetzel is one of the National Trust's Living Treasures.

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Details

Chronology

1925
Life event - Migrated to South Australia with his family
1944
Education - Bachelor of Medicine, University of Adelaide
1946
Career position - Resident Medical Officer, Parkside Mental Hospital, Adelaide
1947 - 1951
Career position - Registrar in Clinical Pathology, Royal Adelaide Hospital
1948
Education - MD, University of Adelaide
1951 - 1954
Education - Fulbright Research Scholarship, New York
1954 - 1955
Career position - Research Fellow, St Thomas' Hospital, London
1956 - ?
Career position - Founding member, South Australian Mental Health Association
1956 - 1958
Career position - Michell Research Scholar, University of Adelaide
1958 - 1963
Career position - Reader in Medicine, University of Adelaide
1958 - 1968
Career position - Honorary Physician, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide
1958 - 2017
Award - Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
1959 - 1968
Career position - Head of Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide
1964
Award - Susman Prize for Medical Research, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
1964
Career position - President, Endocrine Society of Australia
1964 - 1968
Career position - Michell Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide
1968 - 1972
Career position - Member of Council, University of Papua New Guinea
1968 - 1975
Career position - Foundation Professor of Social and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
1971 - 1977
Career position - Member of Council, International Epidemiological Association
1972
Education - Fellow, Royal College of Physicians, United Kingdom
1972
Career position - Commonwealth Visiting Professor, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
1975 - 1985
Career position - Chief of CSIRO's Division of Human Nutrition
1977 - 1981
Career position - Deputy Chairman, International Epidemiological Association
1979 - 1984
Career position - Chairman, Australian Nutrition Foundation
1979 - 1987
Career position - Member, National Committee, Menzies Foundation
1980
Career position - President, 8th International Thyroid Congress, Sydney
1981 - 1982
Career position - Member (part-time), South Australian Health Commission
1981 - 1987
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences
1984 - 1996
Career position - Chairman, Health Development Foundation, South Australia
1985
Award - Malinckrodt Prize Lecture, 9th International Thyroid Congress, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1986 - 1995
Career position - Founder and Executive Director of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders
1987 - 2017
Award - Life Member, Public Health Association of Australia
1987 - 2017
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
1989
Award - Honorary Professor, Tianjin Medical University, People's Republic of China
1990
Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service to Australia and world health particularly in the field of human nutrition
1991 - 1997
Award - Fellow, Nutrition Society of Australia
1992 - 1998
Career position - Chancellor, University of Adelaide
1992 - 2000
Career position - Lieutenant Governor of South Australia
1993
Award - Alwyn Smith Prize, Faculty of Public Health Medicine, Royal College of Physicians, United Kingdom
1993 - 2017
Award - Honorary Member, International Epidemiological Association
1995
Award - Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Adelaide
1995 - 2001
Career position - Chairman, International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders
1997
Award - RSL ANZAC Peace Prize
1997 - 2008
Career position - Member, Australasian Epidemiological Association
1997 - 2017
Award - Life Member, Australian Nutrition Foundation
1998 - 2007
Career position - Chair, Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre
1999
Award - Knight Commander of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (KCStJ)
1999
Award - Honorary Doctorate, University of Adelaide
1999 - 2002
Career position - Chairman, Advisory Committee, School of public Health, James Cook University
2000
Award - Award for Distinguished Research Achievement, International Association for Scientific Study on Intellectual Disability
2001
Award - Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and world health, particularly in the field of human nutrition
2001
Award - The Basil Hetzel Institute for Medical Research established at Queen Elizabeth Hospital
2004
Award - National Living Treasure, National Trust
2004
Award - Kazue McLaren Leadership Award, Asia Pacific Academic Consortium in Public Health
2006 -
Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Adelaide
2007
Award - Prince Mahidol Award from King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand
2008 - 2017
Award - Life Member, Australasian Epidemiological Association
2009
Award - The Basil Hetzel Award was established by the Iodine Global Network
2009
Award - Pollin Prize for Pediatric Research, New York Presbyterian Medical Center
2014 - 2017
Award - Honorary Bragg Member, Royal Institution of Australia

Related Corporate Bodies

Published resources

Books

  • Hetzel, Basil S., Chance and Commitment: Memoirs of a Medical Scientist (Kent Town, S.A.: Wakefield Press, 2005), 301 pp. Details

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • Brener, Mandy, 'Infectious personalities: the public health legacy of three Australian doctors in Papua New Guinea', Health and History, 17 (1) (2015), 73.96. Details
  • Pincock, Stephen, 'Basil Hetzel: vanquishing iodine deficiency disorders', The Lancet, 381 (9869) (2013), 717. Details

Newspaper Articles

  • McNeil, John; Abramson, Michael; Fisher, Jane; Harrison, Sharon; and Hetzel, Robert, 'Basil Hetzel 1922 - 2017', Sydney Morning Herald (2017). Details

Resources

Resource Sections

Rebecca Rigby and Helen Cohn

Created: 6 March 2012, Last modified: 15 June 2022

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