Tribute messages

The sudden passing of Prof Emma Johnston AO has deeply saddened me. I admired her as an exceptional female scientist and a visionary leader who led with curiosity, warmth, and purpose. I was privileged to meet her during her visit to the Dookie campus. She showed genuine interest in our native garden, engaging thoughtfully with native plants and expressing real excitement about tasting their unique flavours. That moment reflected her openness, humility, and deep respect for knowledge that connects science, land, and community. Her legacy will continue to inspire, and I will remember her with great admiration and gratitude.

A/Prof Dorin Gupta

My deepest condolences to Emma's family and friends. The inspirational professional legacy and human imprint Emma created will leave a lasting impression on me as someone that had the privilege of being in her orbit from afar – as a proud University of Melbourne person and as a dedicated father of two wonderful daughters. Vale Professor Emma Johnston.

Brad Skrokov

I remember being excited upon learning the news of Emma Johnston's appointment as VC, and being imbued with the enthusiasm and optimism she brought to the role. In her too-brief time at the University, it was a privilege to experience her commitment to the role of universities in generating knowledge for societal impact. I appreciated her engagement with the Wattle Fellowship and our many students looking to do similar to what she accomplished in her own career - turning their skills and passions into something for this broader ecosystem that is our planetary home. I will remember her warmth and genuine curiosity.

Linh Do

I never met Emma in person but I was very aware of her influence across the University. She was obviously generous and empathic, put students at the heart of everything and saw the future for the university through the 2030 strategy. She will be sadly missed by all her knew her

Stella Clark

I never had the opportunity to meet Emma but her impact on the University was already apparent in the short time that she spent here, particularly with the update of Strategy 2030 to include a major focus on resilience. As the first woman to lead UoM she also gave other women a positive role model to look up to. I have only heard wonderful things about her humanity and talent, and her death is such a huge loss to her family and friends, the scientific community and to the University of Melbourne community. I hope that we can continue to honour Emma's legacy into the future. Enormous condolences to her family and loved ones.

Dr Sarah Richardson, Asialink Education

It's an amazing person that can reach so many people in such a short time. You had extraordinary warmth that emanated all around you and infectious entusiasm. You will be so sadly missed at the Unversity, but your legacy will remain. Sending heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.

Christine

Emma - we so briefly met the week you started last February where you acknowledged us straight away and shook our hands on leaving a meeting room already aware of your impact on staff. I saw you in person in action at our Gather for Gratitude and at the first All Staff and was so impressed by your humanity and humility and so proud we had a female VC - it's been inspiring as a woman and aspiring leader. Thank you for your dedication and selflessness right to the end - your loss will be deeply felt across the whole University and beyond and we are poorer for a world without you in it. Sending your family deepest condolences - you will be missed.

Christina Lew

Sending my deepest condolences to Emma Johnston's family, friends and colleagues. I've been reading the many tributes and feel inspired by Emma's remarkable leadership and contributions as a scientist and mentor, and deeply saddened by her loss. May her memory be a blessing.

Ilan Wiesel

Professor Emma Johnston AO was an exceptional academic leader whose scholarship, integrity, and commitment to service left a lasting impact on the University community. She led with clarity, generosity, and a deep respect for collaboration, setting a standard of excellence that inspired both academic and professional staff. Her legacy will endure through the institutions she strengthened and the people she supported. She will be remembered with great respect and gratitude.

Michael Roldan

Although brief, the yarns we shared about our mutual love of the outdoors and camping stand out. She spoke with warmth and humour about her childhood memories of setting up those old canvas tents while camping with her family - they were seriously painful! I deeply appreciated the way she articulated and championed sustainable economic development as an essential part of working with communities to build capacity and advance equity. I was genuinely excited to see where she would lead the University, particularly in elevating Indigenous knowledges and voices through truth telling and by centring Country in all that we do. My thoughts are with her family.

Will Carter

Emma, your efforts from the very start of being our VC to connect meaningfully with the unimelb community had me thinking that this tenure will be different. You inspired and reassured me that empathy, visibility and of course resilience is the way forward in leadership. I attended an international Women's Day breakfast which is when I saw first-hand your authenticity, openness and vulnerability when discussing the challenges you’ve faced in your career. Although we didn’t have you at the helm for long, you’ve left us with renewed hope that collectively we can make a positive difference for our students. Condolences to family and friends.

Eileen Wall

Having lost both my own mother and mother-in law in 2025, I feel deeply for Emma's family at this time and hope that they get to some form of "ok" in time. Having read many of the online tributes and articles, it is so very clear how much of impact Emma had had and how much more she had left to finish. Seems she was just getting started at Uni Melb and more broadly for the wider university sector and the Australian and global community. Emma will be talked about fondly and not forgotten in conversations yet to come.

Matt Ralston