Professor John Watson AM - Biography

Professor John Watson AM is an Emeritus Professor who has made significant contributions to the fields of neuroscience, medical education, and healthcare administration. He currently serves as the Director of The Eccles Institute of Neuroscience at the Australian National University and as the Deputy National Secretary for The Rhodes Scholarships in Australia.

Prior to his current positions, Professor Watson held several key leadership roles at the University of New South Wales, including as Director of the Faculty of Medicine and Health and Senior Vice Dean, Clinical Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine. He also worked at the University of Sydney for 25 years as an academic clinician and was Chair of the university's Human Research Ethics Committee for six years.

Professor Watson is a highly respected consultant neurologist and honorary consultant neurologist at several major hospitals in Sydney, including Hornsby Ku-ring-gai, Sydney Adventist, and The Mater Hospitals. He has served on various subcommittees and panels for the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and he is the Chair of the Sydney Adventist Hospital Medical Advisory Committee.

In addition to his clinical and academic work, Professor Watson is deeply committed to improving healthcare through value-based care and leadership development. He was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia in its General Division for his significant service to medicine in the field of neurology, medical education, and administration, as well as through mentoring roles.

Professor Watson's expertise and leadership extend beyond medicine and healthcare. He is also involved in The Rhodes Scholarships in Australia, supporting the selection of highly accomplished students for study at the University of Oxford. Professor Watson himself was a Rhodes Scholar in 1977 and obtained his DPhil in Neurophysiology from Oxford University in 1981.