Professor Ross Jeffree awarded AM for significant service to conservation and the environment

His work over many decades all over the world has combined his strong interest in science and conservation.

"I feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have had a life in these fields and to have worked at ANSTO and in many parts of the world with other international scientists," he said.

Dr Jeffree studied at Kingsgrove North High School and the University of Sydney, where he graduated with honours in Zoology. A PHD at the University of New England followed.

He started work as a vacation student at the Australian Atomic Energy Commission (now ANSTO) at Lucas Heights, and went on to major international research roles.

"The AAEC job was for three months," he said.

"I had just finished my degree in which I had studied contaminants in fish, and they wanted me to help do research on contamination from the old Rum Jungle copper and uranium mine site."

"There were major concerns about contamination of the Finniss River and the effect on the local ecology."

The mine, located 100 kilometres south of Darwin, opened in 1954 and closed in 1971 after supplying the US and British nuclear weapons programs.

Dr Jeffree subsequently researched radionuclear accumulation in Aboriginal foods in the Kakadu National Park and radiation effects from French nuclear tests in the South Pacific.

Another career highlight was heading an international team of scientists at the Marine Radioecology Laboratory in Monaco for seven years.

Dr Jeffree's research on climate change fed into the Paris Agreement.

Since retiring, he has been writing up research work from Monaco while doing voluntary work for the National Parks Association and working on The Orangutan Project.

He is the author of more than 160 scientific publications.