By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A BELGIAN-BORN Narre Warren North man has received an honour from his home country for outstanding service to both Belgium and Australia.
Dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Melbourne Professor Iven Mareels was recently named a “Commander in the Order of the Crown” of Belgium for meritorious services in engineering and science.
Prof Mareels said he was honoured to be given the award, which was created by Leopold II of Belgium in 1897 and previously accepted by Sir John Monash and Steven Spielberg.
“I was speechless because it’s so highly commended,” he said.
“It was kind of intimidating to get the same award as such a great Melburnian like Sir John Monash.”
Prof Mareels was born in Aalst, Belgium, and obtained a Masters of Electromechanical Engineering in 1982 before moving to Canberra and receiving a PhD in Systems Engineering from the Australian National University in 1987.
In 1996 Prof Mareels began teaching at the University of Melbourne and became Dean in 2007. He was humbled to be recognised for his enormous contribution across two countries.
“I am extremely pleased to have been awarded the Order of the Crown. As well as being a proud Belgian, I am also a proud Australian,” he said.
“I have been involved in the promotion of science, mathematics and engineering for most of my working life. I acknowledge we have come far in our understanding of the sciences, but I know there is much more to do.”
