Margot Ruth Prior (24 March 1937 – 24 August 2020) was an Australian psychologist, educator, and musician. She was professor of psychology at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...

where her research focussed on autism and literacy development. She was also director of psychology at the Royal Children's Hospital and was adjunct professor at

La Trobe University La Trobe University is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its main campus is located in the suburb of Bundoora. The university was established in 1964, becoming the third university in the state of Victoria a ...

Biography

Prior was born on 24 March 1937, in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a BMus and a BA. She completed an MSc and PhD at

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university h ...

and took up an academic position at La Trobe University in 1976. She was the inaugural Chair of the Advisory Committee of Australia’s first autism research centre at La Trobe, the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, established in 2008, and held this position until her 80th year. The Victorian Autism Specific Early Learning and Care centre at La Trobe was named after her in recognition of her long contribution to autism intervention science and service. Prior was elected a Fellow of the

Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) is an independent, non-governmental organisation devoted to the advancement of knowledge and research in the social sciences. It has its origins in the Social Science Research Council of Austr ...

in 1992. She was awarded a DSc (honoris causa) by the University of Melbourne and was a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society. In the

2004 Australia Day Honours The 2004 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2004 by the Governor General of Australia, Michael Jeffrey. The Austra ...

, Prior was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for "service to the discipline of psychology in the areas of developmental and clinical psychology and for research leading to significant advances in the care and treatment of children with autism, learning difficulties and anxiety disorders". She was Victorian Senior Australian of the Year in 2006.

Selected works

* * * *

Personal life

Prior's first husband was musician Glenthorne Prior, who drowned when their three children were young. She later married John Hansen. She died from

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

on 24 August 2020, during the

COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first confirmed case in Australia was identified on 25 Januar ...

References

External links

Margot Prior AO bio
The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Professor Margot Prior AO
Citation for the Award of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) {{DEFAULTSORT:Prior, Margot 1937 births 2020 deaths Australian women psychologists Officers of the Order of Australia University of Melbourne alumni Monash University alumni Academic staff of the University of Melbourne Academic staff of La Trobe University Fellows of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia Musicians from Melbourne Academics from Melbourne Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia