Leading child and adolescent psychiatrist Prof. Valsamma Eapen has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List for distinguished service to psychiatry, neurodevelopmental research, child and adolescent mental health, and tertiary education.
The Honours List, announced by the Governor-General, recognises 948 Australians for exceptional service and achievement across fields including medicine, science, education, defence, sport, the arts and community service.
“As Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, I am delighted to announce and congratulate the remarkable Australians receiving honours in the 2026 King’s Birthday list,” Governor-General Sam Mostyn said.
“Our honours system recognises outstanding people who contribute so much to Australia… their service and achievement help shape our nation.”
Prof. Eapen is a Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) and Chair of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She also serves as Head of the Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry at South West Sydney Local Health District and Director of the BestSTART Child Health Unit.
She is internationally recognised for her leadership in child mental health and neurodevelopmental research, with a focus on autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, Tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, and early childhood developmental health.
Prof. Eapen is President of the International Neuropsychiatric Association and holds senior roles in multiple global research collaborations, including the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and autism research networks in the United States and Europe.
In Australia, she has played a key role in shaping national mental health policy and clinical practice guidelines, contributing to major frameworks including autism diagnosis guidelines, ADHD national guidelines, and early childhood wellbeing assessment standards.
She has also helped lead several major research initiatives, including the Supporting Child and Family Health for Priority Populations Centre of Research Excellence (STAR-CRE) and the Early Life Determinants of Health program under SPHERE, one of Australia’s leading health research translation networks.
Over her career, Prof. Eapen has secured more than $30 million in competitive research funding and published approximately 300 scientific papers, making her one of Australia’s most influential academic psychiatrists.
Her career spans India, the United Kingdom and Australia, including advanced training at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London, followed by a PhD from the University of London.
Prof. Eapen has received multiple awards, including the Lady Fairfax AC OBE Distinguished Researcher Award and recognition from leading psychiatric and medical organisations internationally.
This year’s list includes 702 recipients in the General Division, alongside 34 military awards, 149 meritorious awards, and 63 conspicuous service awards. Recipients will be formally invested at ceremonies in their respective states and territories in coming months.
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