Upcoming Events
Invitation for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine – National Consultation
We would like to invite you to an on-line consultation meeting to discuss plans for the establishment of a national Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine. We are planning to host two consultations with academics and researchers and would welcome your engagement at either one: 29th November at 11am OR 7th December at 2pm.
Register Here for 7th December
As you are likely aware, the NHMRC and the Department of Health and Aged Care (responsible for the implementation of the MRFF) are currently developing a Statement on Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation in Health and Medical Research, reflecting a joint commitment to improve the integration of sex and gender considerations in health and medical research.
In September, the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) released a report outlining AAMRI’s Sex and Gender Policy Recommendations for Health and Medical Research.
The proposed Centre currently involves a partnership between The George Institute for Global Health and the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW, and Deakin University, and builds on many years of both research and policy work on sex and gender in health and medicine, by the collaborators. However, we believe our plans will likely be of interest to a broader range of academics and other stakeholders and we invite your involvement.
We have developed a draft Vision statement, a proposed Governance and Management document and a document outlining the benefits of engaging with the Centre. Copies of these documents will be sent to you to review ahead of the consultation. We anticipate these will form the basis of the meeting agenda. We would be keen to get your inputs and hopefully involvement.
Please let us know if you would be interested in attending by selecting the ‘register’ button for the date you can attend, and we will send through the review documents and a joining link for the meeting.
If you are unable to attend, but would be interested in learning more, providing input or contributing in anyway, please email Sue at shaupt@georgeinstitute.org.au. We would be more than happy to receive your written comments and or discuss our plans with you individually.
IHT EMCR Workshop #4: Transfer research skills to non-academic roles, strategic planning and End-of-year Function, Tues 12 December 2023
We are delighted to invite you to IHT EMCR’s End of Year Event. Please join us to celebrate the completion of 2023. This event is specifically focussed on offering you opportunities for networking with other EMCR’s so make sure it is in your diary!
We will start our day together by hearing from Professor Bernice Redley (pictured) as Victoria’s Health Complaints Commissioner on how EMCR’s can develop research skills that are transferable into the government sector and health care industry.
Following this, you will have opportunities to network with colleagues through several fun co-design activities, a shared lunch, and a celebratory drink in the afternoon. There will also be a good opportunity to share your perspectives on how the IHT EMCR Committee can better support professional development for all EMCRs in 2024: we want to hear from you!
The event will be held at Deakin Downtown from 10.00am–3.00pm on Tuesday the 12th of December.
Lunch will be provided. Alcoholic beverages and nibbles will be supplied at the end of the day.
Please contact Ha Le with any questions.
Please note: this is an in-person event only given the interactive nature of the activities.
5 Day Logistic Regression Masterclass, 12-16 February 2024
Deakin Epidemiology is pleased to offer a summer Masterclass focussed on Logistic regression to be delivered by arguably the world’s most famous teacher of this statistical technique – Stan Lemeshow. In years past, Lemeshow together with Ken Rothman offered back-to-back masterclasses in Biostats and Epi in Tasmania which were a bit of an institution, with many epidemiologists and biostatisticians building their knowledge and networks by heading south for a healthy dose of upskilling or as a refresher. The logistic regression program is still offered in Europe and the USA, and now we are very excited that, after a gap of 15 years or so, Stan has agreed to offer this program onshore once again in Australia, this time at our Burwood campus, a short 20 min drive up the M1 from the Melbourne CBD.
The program is built around Lemeshow’s book which provides a well-organized step-through of modelling, written in a way that helps readers understand the key principles of logistic regression models, along with practical modelling building strategy illustrated with examples from health research drawn from Stan’s many years of experience. Importantly, model fit and interpretation are particularly well explained.
The Masterclass combines morning sessions where Stan steps through the content of the day in detail followed by practical afternoon sessions to take that theory into practice. Masterclass enrolment comes with extensive course notes to take away, and access to Stata for use on your own laptops during the week to ensure participants leave with both expertise and confidence in data analysis. And of course, the new connections that come from the opportunity for health researchers to network!
For more information visit 5 Day Logistic Regression Masterclass | Institute for Health Transformation (deakin.edu.au)
Past Events
Global Launch of the Pledge to #EndDiabetesStigma
Written by Dr Uffe Søholm
Below is an excerpt from the full article which can be viewed here.
On World Diabetes Day 2023, a unique event was held to kickstart the collective commitment and action needed to stop the harmful effects of diabetes stigma across the world
On 14 November every year, we celebrate World Diabetes Day. It marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin in 1922 with his colleague, Charles Best. So, World Diabetes Day was the perfect day to launch the Pledge. The idea was to mark the start of the end of diabetes stigma and its harmful impacts.
The launch was held in Melbourne, and broadcast live across the world. It was co-hosted by health journalist, Dr Norman Swan AM, and diabetes advocate Renza Scibilia. A key focus was discussions involving people living with diabetes in Melbourne, across Australia, and the world. Everyone shared their experiences and their visions for a world would look like without diabetes stigma.
A key theme of the event was the complexity of diabetes stigma among First Nations people. Chris Lee is a member of the expert panel. He was previously the Manager of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement at Diabetes Australia. He stressed the blame and judgement that Indigenous people with diabetes experience. He said that all work about Indigenous people with diabetes needs to involve them directly, i.e. with true co-design and meaningful engagement.
Finally, Norman led a panel including leaders of diabetes organisations: Gordon Bunyan, Director of Diabetes Australia; Glen Noonan, CEO of Diabetes Victoria; and Professor Anthony Russell, President of the Australian Diabetes Society. They gave their perspectives on where time, effort and money are needed to end diabetes stigma. Education, advocacy, and research were central themes. Professor Jane Speight emphasised that we need to change the narrative about diabetes. We need to challenge fear-based messaging, blame and shame. We also need research to show how to produce effective diabetes campaigns that don’t facilitate stigma. This needs to be prioritised by diabetes organisations and research funding bodies. Matthew Garza shared that we have big opportunities to learn from other communities where stigma has been experienced, such as HIV/AIDS. The way that the media portrays diabetes is important. At this point, we need the community to be assertive, which can be really powerful. Renza asserted that the community needs allies. Gordon said that the more we talk about it, the more likely it will be that prominent people will come forward in support. We all need to play our part to bring an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination.
Read more about the Pledge to #EndDiabetesStigma here.
Watch the full recording of the event here.
Take the pledge here.
 |
 |
 |
Talking AI with Dr Mushtaq Bilal | A 2-hour online workshop
Dr Mushtaq Bilal, a postdoctoral researcher from Hans Christian Andersen Center, University of Southern Denmark, holds a PhD in comparative literature from Binghamton University, New York and his scholarship has appeared in academic journals like the Journal of World Literature and Comparative Literature Studies. He has an online audience of 200,000 followers on Twitter and 50,000 on LinkedIn where he writes about simplifying the process of academic writing with AI apps. His opinions on how to use AI for academic writing have been featured in publications like Nature, Times Higher Education (UK), and Der Spiegel (Germany). Mushtaq is frequently invited to deliver talks at leading universities in the US, Europe, and Australia.
Co-hosted by the Institute for Health Transformation (IHT) and the Faculty of Health, this workshop discussed how to use AI apps for academic writing.
A recording of the workshop can be found be in the Members Portal here.
ARC Webinar: How to Pitch an EOI
The ARC held a webinar to support the introduction of the EOI process for Discovery Projects 25. You can watch the session recording here: How to Pitch an EOI – Webinar – YouTube.
The session included a brief outline of the EOI and full application processes, as well as advice on addressing the Project Summary (2 page) component of the EOI.
IHT All Members Day
Our last All Members Day for 2023 was a huge success with an attendance of approx. 100 members at Deakin Downtown last Wednesday. The day was informative, inspirational and very moving at times thanks to the following wonderful speakers:
- Anna Peeters MC’d the day, welcomed everyone and summarised this year’s highlights.
- Dr Jill Gallagher (Gunditjmara), CEO, VACCHO, shared her lived experience and the importance of The Accord
- Professor Mark Rose, Pro Vice Chancellor, Indigenous Strategy and Innovation, spoke on Deakin’s indigenous strategy
- Diane ‘Jane Fonda’ entertained with a quick energiser activity
- Caley Callope, Yumburra Program Manager, Black Duck Foods, introduced us to Black Duck Foods journey and approach.
- Steph Thow, Jennifer Browne and Karen Hill (Torres Strait Islander), spoke about FoodPATH, Food Policies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
- Alessandro Crocetti, Troy Walker (Yorta Yorta), Fiona Mitchell (Mununjali), spoke on Making Big Business Everybody’s Business: Aboriginal leaders’ perspectives on the commercial determinants of Indigenous health in Victoria
- Alfred Deakin Professor Matthew Clarke presented the EMCR Awards and provided an update
- Tony LaMontagne and Navoda Liyana Pathirana spoke on Cross-faculty collaboration
- Tony LaMontagne and Merran Stewart provided an update on the OAP (Open Access Publishing) Taskforce.
Congratulations to our seven 2023 EMCR Award recipients for academic excellence. Presented by IHT Director Alfred Deakin Professor Anna Peeters, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, Alfred Deakin Professor Matthew Clarke, recipients received an award certificate and a $500 prize to be allocated for education or research.
Read more about the EMCR Awards here
Thank you to the event organising committee for planning and delivering another great All Members Day and thank you to all members who attended.
All presentations from the day are available on the Members Portal via the following link: Presentations
Head Shots/Portraits
Thank you to everyone who had their portrait taken. We expect to have the images within the next week and will let you know when they will be available to download from the Member’s Portal.
IHT End of year gift to all our members – Resistance bands
This year IHT is gifting all members with a resistance band to keep you fit and healthy throughout the year. If you did not receive one at the All Members Day, please either let Diane Russack know via email or pop in past her desk at Burwood. Three colours of bands to choose from – Purple, green and blue.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Vic Health fellow meeting
Below is an image from the meeting last week of current and former Vic Health fellows. Anna Peeters and Tony LaMontagne (both unable to attend) were fellows around the same time (Tony was 2003—2008), but more strikingly in the last 2 years our IHT E/MC’s have won four fellowships—last year Hanna Pitt and Chrisina Zorbas and this year Florentine Martino and Adyya Gupta (all four were attending and are in the photo). The IHT future looks strong!
