Congratulations to
- Congratulations to Ramas McRae who was a finalist in Deakin’s 3MT competition! Ramas’s presentation was titled ‘Childhood access to sign language and mental health outcomes in deaf adults’ and can be viewed here. Ramas delivered his presentation in Auslan, and it was translated by Rebecca Ladd. Fantastic work Ramas!
- Erica Reeve and Anna Peeters for being awarded an NHMRC Partnership Grant as part of a collaborative team led by the University of Sydney titled: Strengthening policy for healthy and sustainable diets: learning from innovation in practice.
- Miranda Blake for being awarded an ARC DECRA fellowship for a project titled: Sustained innovations to promote healthier food in the retail environment.
- Hassan Vally, Catherine Bennett and Justin Lawson for being awarded an Australia Indonesia Research Collaboration Grant as part of a team led by the School of Information and Technology titled: Building resilience in at-risk rural communities through improving Media Communication on Climate Change Policies.
- Kathryn Backholer and Christina Zorbas have received a project grant from the International Food Policy Research Institute and the Rockefeller Foundation to explore global commitments for food security.
- Kathryn Backholer who is leading a report for the WHO on the digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes, which will inform consultation on a resolution to be tabled at the next World Health Assembly. Kathryn is also part of the WHO technical advisory group who are tasked with developing the World Health Assembly resolution.
- Kaara Ray Calma who presented findings from her PhD at the recent Association for Academic Primary Care Conference in Melbourne. The presentation was titled: Predictors of pre-registration nursing students’ interest, intention and confidence to work in general practice.
- Tracey Bucknall has been appointed as a member of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (CDNM) (ANZ) Research Advisory Group. The Research Advisory Group provides strategic advice to the CDNM Executive for nursing and midwifery research and related policy.
Victoria Brown wins Young Tall Poppy Science Award!
The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) to honour up-and-coming scientists who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science. IHT’s Vicki Brown has been selected as one of the outstanding early career researchers and will receive a Victorian 2023 Young Tall Poppy Science Award!
Vicki leads a research program that has built the economic evidence for obesity prevention interventions. This research provides rigorous evidence on the cost-effectiveness of different intervention options, to inform efficient resource allocation decisions. Vicki leads the health economics streams of several large grants funded by both the NHMRC and the ARC, and government or not-for-profit organisations. She is one of relatively few health economists leading this research to build the investment case for prevention. In building this economic evidence, Vicki works closely with stakeholders including multiple levels of government, health services, practitioners, community organisations and the public. Vicki is passionate about knowledge exchange, and her research findings have been used by government and non-government organisations to inform international and domestic policy and practice.
At the Victorian ceremony in October, one of the Tall Poppies will be announced as the 2023 Victorian Young Tall Poppy of the Year.
Congratulations Vicki on this huge achievement and good luck at the finals!
Angela Dew presents at the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) Master Class Clinical Evening
Angela Dew was invited to present at the STARTTS master class evening as part of an online event with 90 participants joining from across Australia and internationally. Angela’s presentation titled: Understanding the experiences of and providing resources to support people with disability and family members from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds was very well received by attendees with lots of Q&A at the end! To see the Arabic language co-designed resources developed from the work referenced in the presentation access this link.
Erica Reeve presents about earmarking taxes for health
In June, Erica Reeve presented at the International Roundtable on the earmarking of taxes for health, sharing findings of a case study on tobacco taxes in Australia, for the World Bank Global Taxation Division in Washington. She also presented at an online regional workshop on Harmonised Tariff Systems to support food taxation in Pacific Island countries, attended by member countries of the Oceania Customs Organisation in August.
MATES and Epworth Partnership Profiles
IHT is currently showcasing some of our successful partnerships across the membership. This month we feature MATES in Construction, a partnership involving Tony LaMontagne which is an industry-backed suicide prevention and support program, to examine and reduce the suicide rate in the construction industry. Click here to see the video or read more on the website.
We have also featured the long-standing partnership between researchers from QPS and Epworth HealthCare, led by the co-funded Chair of Nursing position, who facilitates connection and understanding between IHT’s researchers and Epworth’s clinical staff. One great program of work stemming from the partnership is an innovative post-operative care program known as MyStay. Click here for the video or read more on the website.
Tony LaMontagne attends MATES launch
On 18 August, Tony LaMontagne attended the launch of a MATES in Construction/ Bunnings Trade Hoodie at the Nunawading store. This is the second year that Bunnings has sponsored the hoodie as a fund raiser for MATES, a suicide prevention charity focusing on blue-collar male workers. Last year, the hoodies sold out within a few months. Tony collaborates extensively with MATES, serves as a Board member and is the Chair of their National Research Reference Group.
Mapping Stigma: exhibition of body maps from ARC Discovery project
On Friday 18th August the Disability and Inclusion team at Deakin and the Burwood Library hosted the opening of an exhibition of body maps produced by Victorian women who have faced stigma and discrimination due to their experiences of mental distress, disability, or a refugee background. Each map tells a unique narrative, and vividly depicts the life histories, experiences, and ideas of its maker.
The body maps were created as part of Women marginalised by mental health, disability, or refugee background, a cross-institutional ARC Discovery research project, led by Professor Katherine Boydell and managed by Priya Vaughan (Black Dog Institute) which included Professor Angela Dew, Disability and Inclusion, IHT and School of Health and Social Development.
The exhibition runs through until 24th September and includes an Open Body Mapping workshop on RUOK Day 14th September 12-1.30pm, which will be facilitated by Angela Dew.
You can register for the event on the exhibition website or just drop into the Burwood library at any time to view the exhibition.
IHT is working with Health and Wellbeing Queensland to trial a Healthy Retail Toolkit
IHT and Nourish Network have partnered with Health and Wellbeing Queensland to trial the Healthy Retail Toolkit. The Healthy Retail Toolkit guides retailers through the steps for success in providing customers, staff and managers with a healthier food offering. Originally developed by the Nourish Network for Victorian food retailers, the Toolkit has now been adapted by Health and Wellbeing Queensland for retailers in hospitals and health services. Anna Peeters delivered a keynote address at the Health and Wellbeing Queensland, A Better Choice Conference and Expo. Next, the Toolkit will be trialled in participating South-Eastern Queensland Metro Health Services. The project has been funded by the Prevention Centre and a Deakin Faculty of Health Research Capacity Building (HAtCH) Grant.
ACBRD at Australasian Diabetes Congress
The ACBRD staff and students had a great presence at the 2023 Australasian Diabetes Congress in Adelaide, presenting: five orals, five posters, and in three symposiums. Congratulations to Dr Eloise Litterbach, Dr Edith Hollway, Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott and Sarah Manallack, all selected to speak in the ‘Best of the Best Orals’ session. To raise awareness of behavioural diabetes research, the ACBRD also had a stand in the exhibitor hall promoting their latest research findings, health professional surveys and e-learning opportunities, the Pledge to End Diabetes Stigma, and PhD scholarships.
