Tribute messages
As we mourn the passing of Emma with great sadness, we also take this moment to reflect on a life that touched so many. This Condolence Book is a place to share memories or reflections of Emma’s life and legacy.
You may wish to recall a moment that stayed with you, a lesson Emma shared, or a quality you most admired.
Each message is a tribute to Emma’s extraordinary impact and will be shared with her family as a lasting expression of the respect, gratitude and affection she inspired in so many.
When I heard the news of Professor Emma Johnston AO's passing, the first word that sprang to mind was 'gutted'. With Emma as our Vice Chancellor, I believe we were on the precipice of something truly remarkable. She possessed the vision, passion and intellect to lead our institution into its next phase of success. Her appointment as the University's first female Vice Chancellor was a source of immense pride for me. It is deeply saddening to lose someone who had so much to give, on so many levels. Emma was taken well before her time, leaving me to wonder what further heights she might have achieved and inspired us to reach.
Penny Smith
Emma brought a special combination of intellect, energy, and humanity. She brought formidable clarity and rigour to every challenge and her standards were high. She also had an exceptional ability to engage people - her curiosity and enthusiasm were infectious. Working with her was genuinely enjoyable and rewarding. She will be deeply missed, but her influence endures in the people and ideas she shaped, and for our University, in the Resilience Strategy for 2030 that she led us to deliver.
Julia Scott
I mourn Emma’s passing together with her family and friends, the university, the academy, and the wider community. Emma was a breath of fresh air when she commenced as Vice Chancellor in February 2025. The University had endured months of anti-Israel protests, disruption of lectures, illegal occupation of buildings, and tent encampments. Emma introduced and enforced new rules for campus protests. Her firm, principled intervention had an immediate and liberating impact on the safety, morale, and reputation of the University and on its Jewish staff, students, and alumni. Emma’s memory is truly a blessing. Professor Leon Mann AO Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences University of Melbourne
Professor Leon Mann
Showing tributes 661 - 663 of 663
The Professor Emma Johnston Fund
If you wish to make a contribution to remember Emma and continue her legacy, her family have asked for donations to the Professor Emma Johnston Fund. This has been established by her family within the Australian Communities Foundation.
The fund will honour Emma’s lifelong love and commitment to marine ecology, to research and the people behind it, and to communicating science.
Granting will be guided by experts who knew and worked with Emma, and will prioritise:
- Supporting early career researchers, particularly women;
- Time-critical research in response to catastrophic events;
- Effective public communication of research findings.
The fund has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status and all donations are tax deductible.