At the ADIPS 2004 Annual Scientific Meeting, the inaugural Honorary Memberships of ADIPS were awarded. They were awarded to two long-standing stalwarts of the Society:
One of Skip’s major achievements during his term as President was to establish the ADIPS criteria for gestational diabetes which was no mean achievement when there was no consensus in Australia about the glucose load, the cut off levels or the methodology for the OGTT. Skip’s wise council, his extensive clinical expertise and his knowledge of the key components of the Diabetes organisational structures in Australia and New Zealand meant that ADIPS was built on solid foundations. Skip’s legacy is evident in the successful maturation of ADIPS. It is most appropriate that Dr Ian (Skip) Martin should be the first Honorary Member of ADIPS.
Ken was the second member of the initial steering committee that formed the Australian DPSG from which came ADIPS. He was inaugural Treasurer and his careful fiscal control kept ADIPS in the black and helped ensure that the early meetings could attract international key note speakers. Ken’s voice on Council and in the ADIPS scientific fora, made sure that the focus in the care of women with diabetes in pregnancy was kept on the objective of the baby been born in optimum condition. Ken’s contribution to the establishment of ADIPS cannot be overestimated and again it is most fitting that he should be the other inaugural Honorary Member of ADIPS.
At the ADIPS 2009 Annual Scientific Meeting, Honorary Life Membership of ADIPS was awarded to one of the founders of the Society:-
Professor Jeremy Oats holds a number of national and international positions in the field of obstetrics, paediatrics and maternity services.
At the ADIPS 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting the follow three long serving members were awarded Honorary Life Membership to ADIPS.
David has published over 160 papers (>8000 citations), primarily in the field of medical complications of pregnancy with a focus on diabetes and obesity. Recent research studies have examined the effects of diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure during pregnancy on the health of Mothers and Babies, both during pregnancy and with long term follow up. David is the Immediate Past Chair of the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG). In 2016, he became the first Australian trained clinician to receive the Norbert Freinkel Award for contributions to diabetes in pregnancy from the American Diabetes Association. David has been closely involved in the translation of clinical research findings into clinical practice, in particular through the re definition of gestational diabetes and promotion of intensive insulin therapy in Type 1 diabetes through the DAFNE programme.
Bio to follow shortly.
Bio to follow shortly.
Chris initially trained as a general nurse and midwife completing training in 1970. She spent the next 15 years working as a general registered nurse at the Port Pirie hospital for 4 years then Gribbles Pathology and Calvary Hospital concurrently (in this time she also married and had 2 children). In 1985 Chris joined the Diabetes team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She became Clinical Nurse Consultant of the unit in 1987 and held this position for 5 years before leaving to establish a Private Diabetes Centre at Burnside Memorial Hospital. She co-ordinated the Centre for 20 years before leaving to set up her own Private Practice in 2012. Chris retired in 2016 to pursue a life of travel, golf, long lunches and undisturbed reading for pleasure!
She was an active member of ADEA from 1987 holding positions at various times of president of the state branch and also as National Committee state representative. She joined ADIPS prior to 1988 and had the pleasure of holding the purse strings for an accumulated total of 10 years. Her major interest has always been in diabetes and pregnancy and more latterly the transition of many young women to insulin pumps.
Dr Robert Moses has now been working in Wollongong for more than fifty years changing from an intern to a general physician in private practice gradually developing an interest in endocrinology. Twenty years ago he took up a part time staff specialist role with a major focus on diabetes in pregnancy. He established the Clinical Trial and Research Unit and has been the chief investigator for more than 100 metabolically related international clinical trials. He has been co-author of several books and is also a Clinical Professor at the University of Wollongong. For the last 14 years he has been an Associate Editor of Diabetes Care with primary responsibility for publications related to pregnancy.
Prof Flack has a longstanding interest in Data, Databases and Quality Audit and Research in Diabetes and particularly Diabetes in Pregnancy. Having established a Clinical Database in 1987, he developed a Pregnancy module in 1992 and his Department has prospectively collected Diabetes in Pregnancy Data and Outcomes since. Prof Flack has co-Authored and submitted over 65 Abstracts presented at ADIPS Meetings since 1997 (predominantly from his Department as well as collaborative research with others). He was Co-Chair of the National Diabetes in Pregnancy Advisory Committee [NDiPAC] (2000 – 2006) reporting to Government. He was a collaborator in the ADIPS Pilot National Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinical Audit Program in 2004 and was involved in the the ADIPS Pilot National Diabetes In Pregnancy Benchmarking Programme in 2020, co-ordinating the Benchmarking Centre. He was awarded Honorary Life Membership of ADIPS in 2020.
Associate Professor Glynis Ross developed an interest in diabetes and pregnancy during her obstetrics term as a medical student and her interest was strengthened during her advanced training in endocrinology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. Glynis attended a preliminary Sydney meeting held to gauge interest in forming an Australian diabetes and pregnancy interest group and then the 1989 consensus meeting in Melbourne chaired by Professor Jeremy Oats to determine consensus Australian GDM diagnostic criteria. Her RPAH mentor Dr Jill Forrest facilitated Glynis joining the ADIPS Board in 1990 which led to Glynis having 2 wonderful eight year terms on ADIPS Board 1990-98 and 2002-2010 including terms as newsletter editor, Treasurer, Secretary and then President 2008-2010. Glynis has remained passionate about provision of optimal clinical care and support for women with all forms of diabetes in pregnancy and has maintained roles in national diabetes advocacy and teaching programs and ADIPS guidelines. She was awarded Life Membership of ADIPS in 2021.