Sunday is Australia Day (and Monday is a holiday).

Then it’s the most wonderful time of the year because the children go back to school the next day.

Since 1960, the Aussies have awarded Australian of the Year, although I prefer the mocumentary by comedian Chris Lilley (see below).

This year, one of food safety’s own, microbiologist Professor Thomas (Big Tom) McMeekin of the University of Tasmania (UTAS), is in the running to be named Australian of the Year for 2014.

Professor McMeekin is acknowledged as a leading food microbiologist, having established new systems of improving food safety around the world, and is recognised as a pioneer in the development of predictive microbiology. He was named Tasmanian Australian of the Year 2014 in October by Premier Lara Giddings, who described him as “the world leader in predictive modelling of microbial behaviour in foods”.

Professor McMeekin has been present at UTAS since 1974, when he arrived from Northern Ireland. He held a personal Chair of Microbiology at the university before retiring from full-time employment in 2007, but stayed on as a voluntary position holder. His services won him the UTAS Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Voluntary Position Holder in September 2013. Earlier in the year he was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday honours for his contributions to agricultural microbiology, research and teaching.

Tom always reminded me of my uncle Larry – gregarious and quick with a quip for Douggie whenever I saw him.