The inaugural Director’s Award for Excellent Performance was presented to David Smith, the Casey Field Store Construction Team and Hospital Supplies of Australia, last June. The award recognises their contribution to the success of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) and Australia’s Antarctic program.
AAD Director, Dr Tony Press, said David Smith’s ongoing contribution and support to science, management and operational programs, through the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and the creation of new maps, was outstanding. The inclusion of wildlife colonies on maps, for example, greatly assists environmental management efforts and has facilitated collaborative research with the Chilean Antarctic Institute and the 2002–03 Heard Island expedition.
Battling severe weather conditions and time constraints, the Casey Field Store Construction Team, consisting of Ken Smith, Dan Smith, Mick Keaveney, Rob Nixon and Ron Thomas, completed much of the essential building work on the new field store. Dr Press said their commitment to getting the job done reflected a strong level of teamwork, along with their individual commitment to the AAD Code of Conduct.
The Tasmanian manager of Hospital Supplies of Australia, Rod Hill, and his staff, received their award for streamlining important aspects of the AAD medical program.