Endocrinologist and academic Professor Katharine (Kate) Steinbeck has been recognised in the Australia Day Honours.

Professor Steinbeck, who is also trained in adolescent medicine, was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to adolescent medicine through a range of roles”.

She is the inaugural holder of Australia’s first university chair in adolescent medicine, which was established at the University of Sydney in 2010. This followed a recognition of the need for a focussed effort to address the specific health problems faced by adolescents including the large burden of chronic illness, according to the university.

Professor Katharine Steinbeck

Gaining RACP fellowship in 1980, she has also held appointments at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW Health and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and the WHO as associate director of the Collaborating Centre in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity.

With extensive experience treat disorders of puberty and chronic conditions including diabetes and obesity, and long term endocrine effects in childhood cancer survivors, her research aims to address evidence gaps in the field.

“Adolescence is a challenging specialty area in medicine, which doesn’t fit neatly into paediatrics and child health, or adult medicine,” she says on her university biography.

“It is a time when health trajectories are established for life, but where medical needs are poorly understood.”

“Adolescents’ propensity for risk behaviours against a background of a still-developing brain demands that we develop better ways of creating safe environments while supporting emerging autonomy”.

In addition, she sits on the research committee of the American Society of Adolescent Medicine, is co-chair of the Lifespan Theme at the University of Sydney, member of the National Youth Information Advisory Group (AIHW), and chair of the RACP Specialist Advisory Committee for Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine.

Each year, the limbic scours the lists for specialists joining the Order of Australia honours. If you believe someone has been left off, please get in touch at [email protected]