Nouria Sultana Salehi is an Afghan-Australian nuclear physicist, biophysicist and humanitarian. She is the founder of the Afghan Australian Development Organisation.

Early life and education

Salehi was born in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

and was educated at

Kabul University Kabul University (KU; prs, دانشگاه کابل, translit= Dāneshgāh-e-Kābul; ps, د کابل پوهنتون, translit=Da Kābul Pohantūn) is one of the major and oldest institutions of higher education in Afghanistan. It is in the 3rd ...

. She graduated with a PhD from the Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France.

Career

Salehi began practising nuclear medicine in Kabul but chose to migrate to Australia in 1981, shortly before the Russian invasion. Salehi worked as a nuclear physicist and biophysicist with Melbourne Health from 1983 to 2017, most recently in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. She founded the Afghan Australian Development Organisation in 2001 and serves as its executive director. She also founded the Afghan Australian Volunteers Association and was president from 2002 to 2006. She has also served as a committee member for a number of other refugee, ecumenical and human rights groups.

Awards and recognition

Salehi was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the

1997 Queen's Birthday Honours The 1997 Birthday Honours were announced on 14 June 1997 for the United Kingdom and on 2 June 1997 for New Zealand.New Zealand list: Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday in the United Kingd ...

for "service to human rights, particularly through the Afghan community, and to refugees and women's support groups". She received the

Centenary Medal The Centenary Medal is an award which was created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the centenary of the Federation of Australia and to recognise "people who made a contribution to Australian society or go ...

in 2001 and was promoted to

Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

in the

2019 Australia Day Honours The 2019 Australia Day Honours are appointments Australian honours system, to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2019 by the Governor General of Australia, Pet ...

for "significant service to the Afghan, migrant and refugee communities". Salehi was named Victorian Senior Australian of the Year in 2012and was inducted onto the

Victorian Honour Roll of Women The Victorian Honour Roll of Women was established in 2001 to recognise the achievements of women from the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. The Honour Roll was established as part of the cele ...

in 2021. She was made a life member of The Order of Australia Association in 1997 and has served as an Australia Day Ambassador since 2012.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Salehi, Nouria Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Kabul University alumni Members of the Order of Australia Australian nuclear physicists Australian humanitarians