Professor Graham Goodwin has been recognised as an Officer of the Order of Australia

Like the storm, it's fair to say Professor Goodwin has also left a considerable impression over a career spanning almost 50 years.

Aside from being one of the university's most distinguished academics, he is regarded as an international leader in the discipline of electrical engineering and is still busy with multiple research projects.

"I'm 75 going on 40," he says.

"I enjoy what I do so why not do it? Frankly I still go to work every day."

Professor Goodwin has been recognised as an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to tertiary education and electrical engineering.

It is the latest in a catalogue of national and international awards and honours that include the titles University of Newcastle laureate professor and fellow of the Royal Society London, a club that includes Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

He has received the Rufus Oldenburger Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and science in systems and control theory, just to name two.

He has also authored several text books, nine research monographs, 218 international journal papers and given 60 keynote addresses.

A lifetime of commitment and dedication are behind his achievements, but Professor Goodwin is the first to admit he has exceeded his own expectations.

"I have done much better than I could have hoped for," he said.

"I was born and raised in Broken Hill. My ambitions were quite limited; I wanted to be an engineer but I had a number of lucky breaks. I had some wonderful mentors who supported and encouraged me."

He met one of those mentors, Brian Anderson, the university's foundation professor of electrical engineering, soon after arriving in Newcastle following a stint at the University of London's Imperial College.

"When I arrived I thought 'I'm a junior academic, I'll see if I can survive this'," he said.

"Brian gave me tremendous support and I found I was doing better than I ever thought I would."

It was the start of a 30 year teaching career that included a three year period as dean of the engineering faculty.

In later years it has been world-leading research that keeps his fire burning.

The most well known of his recent projects has involved working with colleagues at the university and the Hunter Medical Research Institute on the treatment of type-1 diabetes.

Other current work includes an energy transfer project for the renewable energy sector and several projects focused on the use of sugarcane biomass to generate energy.

As for his legacy, he says he hopes his work has improved the lives of others.

"Most academics like to be remembered for two things - one is have they made a difference to young people's lives through teaching or mentoring," he said.

"I find that amazingly rewarding. Now I'm involved with younger people and frankly they keep me young."

"The second is does the research have a lasting impact?

"The work we are doing on Type 1 diabetes management for young adults and children is something that really means something special and is a passion of mine. I'd really like to make a mark there if we could."

He also recognises it wouldn't have been possible without teamwork.

"You don't do these things by yourself; I have had terrific colleagues and wonderful support from the university," he said.

As an elder statesman of the institution, he looks back on the growth of his faculty over the past half a century with pride.

"When I joined the electrical engineering department it was very small and now it's a sizeable institution," he said.

"It's world-renowned and that's due to the efforts of the whole crew. We often proudly say we are ranked number 13 in the world and that is pretty amazing."

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