David de Kretser
Encyclopedia
David Morritz de Kretser, AC (born 27 April 1939) is an Australia
n medical researcher and a former Governor of Victoria from 2006 to 2011.
(now known as Sri Lanka
), and was educated at Royal Preparatory College, Colombo
. He immigrated to Australia with his family when he was aged nine. He studied at Camberwell Grammar School
, Melbourne
(where he is currently a member of the school board), received his MBBS degrees from the University of Melbourne
in 1962, and his Doctor of Medicine
(MD) degree from Monash University
in 1969.
De Kretser is an infertility
and andrology
expert, and a long-serving academic. He began working at Monash University in 1965, in the university's department of anatomy
, and previously worked as both foundation director of the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development (recently renamed the Monash Institute of Medical Research
) and as Associate Dean
of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (the Biotechnology Department). He was also a senior Fellow of endocrinology
at the University of Washington
in Seattle from 1969 to 1971.
He founded a medical research group, Andrology Australia. Among memberships of other professional groups, he is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
On the nomination of Premier of Victoria Steve Bracks
, he was appointed Governor of Victoria, taking office on 7 April 2006, succeeding John Landy
. He left the post on 8 April 2011, and was succeeded by Alex Chernov
.
Honours list, he was awarded Australia's highest civilian honour, Companion of the Order of Australia
(AC). David de Kretser is also a knight
of the British Venerable Order of Saint John
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n medical researcher and a former Governor of Victoria from 2006 to 2011.
Biography
David de Kretser was born in British CeylonBritish Ceylon
British Ceylon refers to British rule prior to 1948 of the island territory now known as Sri Lanka.-From the Dutch to the British:Before the beginning of the Dutch governance, the island of Ceylon was divided between the Portuguese Empire and the Kingdom of Kandy, who were in the midst of a war for...
(now known as Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
), and was educated at Royal Preparatory College, Colombo
Royal Preparatory School
Royal Preparatory School was a preparatory school in Colombo, Ceylon . It was established in 1933 as a preparatory school to prepare students to the Royal College Colombo situated next to it...
. He immigrated to Australia with his family when he was aged nine. He studied at Camberwell Grammar School
Camberwell Grammar School
Camberwell Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day school for boys, located in Canterbury, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
(where he is currently a member of the school board), received his MBBS degrees from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in 1962, and his Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(MD) degree from Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
in 1969.
De Kretser is an infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
and andrology
Andrology
Andrology is the medical specialty that deals with male health, particularly relating to the problems of the male reproductive system and urological problems that are unique to men. It is the counterpart to gynaecology, which deals with medical issues which are specific to the female reproductive...
expert, and a long-serving academic. He began working at Monash University in 1965, in the university's department of anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, and previously worked as both foundation director of the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development (recently renamed the Monash Institute of Medical Research
Monash Institute of Medical Research
The Monash Institute of Medical Research, or MIMR, is a research institute in Melbourne, Australia consisting of 400 scientists and students belonging to the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University...
) and as Associate Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (the Biotechnology Department). He was also a senior Fellow of endocrinology
Endocrinology
Endocrinology is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions called hormones, the integration of developmental events such as proliferation, growth, and differentiation and the coordination of...
at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in Seattle from 1969 to 1971.
He founded a medical research group, Andrology Australia. Among memberships of other professional groups, he is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
On the nomination of Premier of Victoria Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
, he was appointed Governor of Victoria, taking office on 7 April 2006, succeeding John Landy
John Landy
John Michael Landy, AC, CVO, MBE is an Australian former Olympic track athlete. He was the second man to break the four-minute mile barrier in the mile run, and he held the world records for the 1500 metre run and the mile race...
. He left the post on 8 April 2011, and was succeeded by Alex Chernov
Alex Chernov
Alex Chernov AO QC is an Australian jurist and the current Governor of Victoria.- Early life :Chernov was born in Lithuania to Russian parents, and migrated with his family to Salzburg, Austria where he commenced his schooling. In 1949 his family migrated to Australia and he completed his...
.
Honours
In 2001, he was named as Victoria's Father of the Year. On 12 June 2006, in the Queen's BirthdayQueen's Official Birthday
The Queen's Official Birthday is the selected day on which the birthday of the monarch of Commonwealth realms is officially celebrated in Commonwealth countries and in Fiji, which is now a republic. It is an invention of the early 20th century...
Honours list, he was awarded Australia's highest civilian honour, Companion of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AC). David de Kretser is also a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of the British Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
.
Personal life
De Kretser has been married to his wife, Jan, for over 40 years, and has four sons: Steve, Mark, Ross and Hugh.External links
- Prominent Alumni: Professor David de Kretser AC (MD 1969, HonLLD 2006) (Monash University)