Glenn Denning Named 2024 University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year
SIPA is proud to announce that Glenn L. Denning, professor of professional practice in international and public affairs, has been named the 2024 Alumnus of the Year by The University of Queensland (UQ) for his outstanding leadership and impact in international agriculture, food security and sustainable development.
The award, presented at a ceremony at Customs House in Brisbane, Australia, on October 30, recognizes distinguished alumni who have made exceptional contributions to their fields and communities. Denning was selected from more than 340,000 UQ alumni worldwide for his transformative work in global food security and sustainable development.
What began as an interest in plants growing up in suburban Brisbane has evolved into an extraordinary five-decade journey in international agriculture and global food security. After studying agriculture at UQ, where he earned his Bachelor of Agricultural Science in 1975 and Master of Agricultural Science in 1978, Denning chose a career path that took him across Asia and Africa, working to address one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: how to feed the world sustainably. Denning has advised governments and international organizations in more than 50 countries.
Denning joined SIPA in 2009 as founding director of the Master of Public Administration in Development Practice (MPA-DP), a position he continues to hold today. His work focuses on achieving universal food security – ensuring everyone can access a healthy diet without damaging the environment that enables food production. Throughout his career, he has emphasized that while modernizing agriculture is necessary to feed the planet’s 8 billion people, it has come at a steep environmental cost that must now be addressed through sustainable solutions that are both productive and profitable.
“I am not one for the false dichotomies that dominate today’s discourse in how to achieve food security,” Denning said. “In most cases, I am drawn to a middle ground or a blended solution. It is science, context, needs, and rights—and not ideology—that must shape our policies and practice.”
Denning is passionate about education and the importance of teaching younger generations about agriculture, food systems, and nutrition. His scholarly and humanitarian contributions have earned him numerous other accolades, including Cambodia’s Royal Order of Sahametrei, the Columbia University Presidential Teaching Award, and the 2023 Global Australian of the Year Award. His recent book, Universal Food Security: How to End Hunger While Protecting the Planet (Columbia University Press, 2023), further cements his position as a leading voice in global food security and sustainable development.
Media contact: Lionel Beehner, 212-814-2050, [email protected]
About the School of International and Public Affairs: For more than 75 years, SIPA has been educating professionals who work in public, private, and nonprofit organizations to make a difference in the world. Through rigorous social science research and hands-on practice, SIPA’s graduates and faculty strive to improve social services, advocate for human rights, strengthen markets, protect the environment, and secure peace, in their home communities and around the world. For more information, please visit sipa.columbia.edu.
About Columbia University: A leading academic and research university, Columbia continually seeks to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and addressing the complex global issues of our time. Columbia’s extensive public service initiatives, cultural collaborations, and community partnerships help define the University’s underlying values and mission to educate students to be both leading scholars and informed, engaged citizens. Founded in 1754 as King’s College, Columbia University in the City of New York is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.
About University of Queensland: Ranked in the world’s top 50, the University of Queensland (UQ) is one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions. It strives for excellence through the creation, preservation, transfer, and application of knowledge. For more than a century, UQ has educated and worked with outstanding people to deliver knowledge leadership for a better world.