Dear Colleagues,
For me, this year’s NAIDOC Week theme was really inspiring – Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud. Congratulations to those involved in NAIDOC week events around the country – I appreciate the opportunity to stand up as an ally and reinforce how critical it is to have widespread recognition and celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Australia’s oldest peoples. At the Institute for Health Transformation we are committed to our role in building a more equitable country and it was good to be able to promote some of our work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. Congratulations to Professor Yin Paradies and the Murnong Health Mob who have been successful with a major NHMRC grant win through the Targeted Call for Research on the Commercial Determinants of Health. I was also lucky to attend the Deakin Indigenous Oration and highly recommend the recording once it comes out as the musicians and speaker were truly inspiring! Finally, can I also recommend you have a look at The Fire Within immersive exhibition at Waterfront when you are there.
A reminder that we now have a Noticeboard in the newsletter, where you can find information on work that needs doing or people who might be looking for extra work. We hope you find this useful, please let us know. In this newsletter’s Noticeboard you will see a link to the first national Health and Medical Research Workforce Audit, due this Friday August 9th. I encourage you to fill this in so the Commonwealth Government can build an understanding of our needs and challenges as a sector. Also, this Friday is the Rainbow Connections Exhibition Opening (5.30pm Fri 9 August) in the Deakin Burwood Library, co-developed with LGBT+ people living with dementia and their peers who wanted to make their lives and relationships visible.
It has been great to see so many of you recently at the morning teas at Burwood and Waterfront, and at this week’s AMD. It is through these gatherings that we have the incidental conversations that might spark your next great idea, and that we foster a sense of connectivity and joint purpose, so please continue to make an effort to attend when you can. You can find photos of these events below.
A warm welcome to our latest IHT members
Upgrade from Assoc to Full Member
- Andrew Brown, Lecturer in Social Work, GLOBE
- Anna Urbanowicz, Senior Research Fellow, DoH
- Hannah Jongebloed, Associate Research Fellow, QPS
Full Members
- Sharon Atkinson-Briggs, Research Fellow, GLOBE
- Rebecca Bergin, Senior Research Fellow, QPS
- Najma Moumin, Associate Research Fellow, GLOBE
Associate Members
- Bedasa Taye Merga, PhD Student, DHE
- Rebekah Omond, PhD Student, DoH
- Carah Figueroa, Lecturer Public Health, DoH
Professional Staff
- Daniela Bellu, Administration Support, ACBRD
Deakin Distinguished Professor Anna Peeters, AM, CF, BSc(Hons), PhD, GAICD
Director, Institute for Health Transformation Professor of Epidemiology and Equity in Public Health, Deakin University
