Sharon Sullivan facts for kids

Sharon Sullivan AO FAHA is a famous Australian archaeologist. An archaeologist is someone who studies human history by digging up old things and places. Sharon Sullivan is also known for supporting the rights of Indigenous Australians, who are the first people to live in Australia. She has written five books about how to protect important historical and cultural sites, which is called heritage management. She is most famous for creating rules and plans to help manage and protect Australia's cultural heritage.

Sharon Sullivan's Education

Sharon Sullivan studied at the University of New England, Australia. In 1964, she earned degrees in history and archaeology. Her special research paper, called an Honours thesis, was the first ever written on prehistoric archaeology in Australia. Prehistoric archaeology looks at very old times before written records existed.

In 1965, she completed another degree in education from the same university. This helped her learn how to teach. Later, in 1974, she earned a master's degree in archaeology. In 2003, James Cook University gave her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. This is a special award given to people who have made great contributions.

Sharon Sullivan's Career and Work

Sharon Sullivan worked for 20 years as a public servant for the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. In this role, she worked hard to create laws that would protect important historical places. She also taught as a professor at the University of New England and the University of Queensland.

Today, she runs her own company called Sullivan Blazejowski and Associates. This company helps people and groups manage and protect heritage sites. She has even worked with governments in other countries, like China. She helped with heritage protection at famous places such as the Mogao Caves.

From 2008 to 2011, Sharon Sullivan was a member of the Australian Heritage Council. She was an expert on historical sites. She has written five books and 50 papers about her work.

Awards and Recognition

Sharon Sullivan has received many important awards for her work. In 2004, she was honored by the Order of Australia. This is a very high award given to Australians who have achieved a lot.

She also became a member of ICOMOS Worldwide in 2005. ICOMOS is a global group that works to protect monuments and sites around the world. She served on the Australian ICOMOS committee in the early 2000s.

In 2005, she received the Rhys Jones Medal. This award is given for outstanding contributions to Australian archaeology. To celebrate her lifelong work, the Australian Heritage Council created the Sharon Sullivan National Heritage Award in 2013. This award recognizes people who help protect Australia's natural, Indigenous, and historical heritage.

• In 1996, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.
• In 2001, she received the Centenary Medal.
• In 2004, she was honored as an Officer of the Order of Australia.
• In 2005, she was awarded the Rhys Jones Medal.
• In 2005, she received a special lifetime membership from ICOMOS worldwide.

See also

In Spanish: Sharon Sullivan para niños