Professor Nathan Bartlett from the HMRI Infection Research Program and Emeritus Professor Julie Byles AO were named Citizen and Senior Citizen of the Year in the 2024 honour roll.  

CAPTION: Image courtesy of the City of Newcastle  

Professor Nathan Bartlett from the HMRI Infection Research Program and Emeritus Professor Julie Byles AO were named Citizen and Senior Citizen of the Year in the 2024 honour roll.  

The researchers were honoured at an award ceremony held on Monday 22 January, 2024.  

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Professor Bartlett’s selection as Citizen of the Year recognises his ongoing commitment to improving health outcomes for others. 

“Professor Bartlett’s pioneering medical research will save lives,” Cr Nelmes said. 

“As new variants of COVID-19 continue to make people very unwell, his integral role in developing an effective treatment particularly to help those in our community at the greatest risk of severe disease and death remains vital. 

“He has spent countless hours educating the community and industry bodies such as the National Asthma Council to better understand and cope with COVID-19 and respiratory viruses and dedicates his time to teaching and mentoring the next generation of medical professionals and biomedical researchers. 

“The Citizen of the Year award is a fitting honour for his over 20 years of service to medical science and his care and commitment to the wellbeing of our community.” 

Senior Citizen of the Year recipient Professor Julie Byles is the president of the Hunter Ageing Alliance that is devoted to amplifying the voices and advocating for the needs of people aged over 60 in Newcastle. 

Prior to her retirement from academia in 2023, Professor Byles spent 20 years as the Co-Director of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.