Walker and Professor Jane den Hollander,â she said. âProfessor Walker ..... From left: Associate Professor Lana Will
WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
FOREWORD DEAKIN IS A DYNAMIC, YOUNG UNIVERSITY, AS WE CONTINUALLY ASPIRE TO A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE, COLLEGIALITY AND INCLUSION.
Women are 52 per cent of our academic and 67 per cent of our professional staff and contribute with enthusiasm, intelligence and dedication to every aspect of Deakin University life. On this International Women’s Day we applaud this contribution and, with the publication of the booklet, “Deakin Women: Working together to make a difference,” we celebrate the leadership, collegiality and collaboration within teams of women who are breaking new ground in research, scholarship and professional practice. The groups of women highlighted in these pages include many of our most innovative and productive female academics and professionals; exceptional people doing amazing things together. Many work on finding solutions to some of the world’s thorniest problems: designing materials for energy storage and light-weighting; developing novel therapies to improve mental health; understanding ecological health to devise new approaches to environmental conservation; and designing interventions that improve diet and activity in high risk populations.
Others are exploring and inventing the social fabric of the future: inventing effective education platforms, at home and internationally; applying data analytics to improve health care and manufacturing; connecting communities of practice in finance and human resources; and delivering best practice in information science. These activities are not restricted to the metaphorical ivy-covered walls of Deakin; the national and international collaborations and partnerships of these groups would expand their numbers many-fold, ensuring relevance and innovation. Deakin actively recruits and promotes people who make a difference, to the communities we serve, as well as to our own community of learning. Deakin women are exceptional in their own professional and academic spheres, but what I admire most is that they strive to build new pathways and opportunities for others, especially for other women. It is a delight to see them here with their female colleagues, across the full career spectrum, nurturing the next generation of leaders. Despite this success, there remain significant career obstacles and tipping points for women in Australian universities. At Deakin, over half (55-60 per cent) of our PhD graduates and early career academics are female, but this proportion declines rapidly with seniority. Many mid-career women continue to exit the academic workforce during their most productive years – a home-grown brain drain, which results in a tremendous loss of talent and expertise. Deakin, along with other Australian universities, has begun rethinking this problem, consistent with our commitment to the SAGE-Athena SWAN initiative for improving female representation and opportunity. We hope that our new flexible and supportive maternity- and carer-focused programs will help women remain active in and reconnect to their research, teaching and professional practice,
giving them the confidence and continuity that will allow their careers at Deakin to flourish. “Deakin Women: Working together to make a difference” showcases Deakin’s supportive, collaborative and can-do approach. It was impossible to include all our dynamic and productive women in a single booklet. However, the interest and enthusiasm for this small project was evident across the University, infectious even! Thus, the stories presented here will make up the first chapter in a webpage deakin.edu.au/deakin-women that will continue to add stories highlighting Deakin women and their contributions to our progress as an inclusive, world-leading university with world-embracing values. Enjoy!
Vice Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander AO
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NURSING PIONEERS BENEFIT THOUSANDS OF VICTORIANS THE TEAM FROM DEAKIN’S CENTRE FOR QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETY (QPS) TRAIL-BLAZED A MODEL OF SEAMLESS CO-OPERATION BETWEEN NURSING RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE ALMOST TWO DECADES AGO. THEY HAVE ACHIEVED OUTSTANDING HEALTHCARE RESULTS FOR VICTORIA – AND NOW OFFER A BEST PRACTICE MODEL TO HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ACADEMICS AROUND THE WORLD.
Led by QPS Director Alfred Deakin Professor Maxine Duke along with six Nursing Chairs – each based at a different healthcare provider – QPS is at the centre of an intricate network that collaborates effectively to identify and address gaps in health care. This approach has seen improved practices and developed guidelines in a wide range of areas, including pain management, complex, critical and emergency care, midwifery, aged care and dementia, amongst many others. “QPS is based on a hub and spoke model, where each Chair and her team works with a partner organisation and across a network,” said Professor Duke. “This gives us access to over 30,000 nurses in Victoria (almost half the practicing nurses in the state) and about one million hospital patients and aged care residents each year. From left: Professors Maxine Duke, Julie Considine, Alison Hutchinson and Mari Botti.
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“It may not have a high public profile, but the quality of nursing research and practice plays a fundamental role in our nation’s health.”
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The group’s first partnership with a health service provider was established over 18 years ago – breaking new ground for nursing research. The approach was based on the fundamental understanding that this research must be applied if it is to make a real difference. “All the Nursing Chairs are experts as both practitioners and researchers – often a unique mix in academia,” said Professor Duke. “There is a seamlessness between the Chairs’ academic and clinical roles. We generate and translate knowledge, which is the antithesis of the traditional ‘ivory tower’ approach.” Professor Maxine Duke As one example of how this stance directly translates into better outcomes for patients in Australia and beyond, a major study led by Nursing Chair, Alfred Deakin Professor Mari Botti AM, led to the recognition of the need for an integrated approach to pain management in acute care. Based at Epworth Healthcare, Professor Botti is collaborating with other QPS Chairs from networks including Alfred, Barwon, Eastern, Monash and Western Health to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues affecting pain management and identify the best ways to address them. Professor Botti was named a Member of the Order of Australia in 2016 in recognition of her pain management research and her broader services to nursing and medical education as an academic and author. “We are striving to make sure patients receive the best possible pain management in acute care all the time,” Professor Botti said. “The Australian Commission for Quality and Safety developed national standards in 2011. Now, researchers are trying to find the best ways to ensure these standards are met in health care.
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“We have made good progress and raised awareness amongst the profession, but we still have some way to go.
resulting guidelines will be translated across the Victorian health sector and provide a model for other states.”
“Pain management has been a long-standing problem that needs a multi-dimensional solution, through strategies such as improved communication in multidisciplinary teams, finding ways to help patients participate in their own care and ensuring that policies and practices support clinicians to deliver optimal care.”
In fact, the Centre’s reputation has already reached well into the international arena. In late 2016, Canadian researchers Professors Ian Graham and Dawn Stacey visited QPS to explore the unique partnership network. The visit was part of a multimillion dollar Canadian Government research grant supporting translating health knowledge. The visit is one example of a number of collaborations QPS is undertaking with international colleagues.
A new QPS-led major partnership study is targeting another long-standing issue that, once completed, could save the lives of hundreds of Australians. The three-year project is investigating ways to improve first line management of patient deterioration in hospitals – focusing on identifying at-risk patients in the first hours to minutes before critical events, in order to intervene before symptoms escalate. “The identification of abnormal vital signs is paramount to ensuring patient safety and care. This project, Prioritising Responses of Nurses to Deteriorating Patient Observations (PRONTO) is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).” Professor Tracey Bucknall “Despite a growing body of evidence that shows the benefit of early recognition and management of patients, there is a gap between what the research is telling us we need to do and what happens in the clinical setting. With this study we are looking at ways to close that gap.” The researchers are conducting a randomised trial in four Victorian hospitals, with the goal of improving the uptake of clinical practice guidelines for identifying and managing deteriorating patients. Alfred Health, Monash Health, Eastern Health, The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and SA Health are all involved.
The QPS team has every reason to feel proud of their achievements. They pioneered Deakin University-health care partnerships long before other health alliances began to emerge.
These networks now represent a mature, self-sustaining nursing research “tour de force.” Leaders such as Alfred Deakin Professor Maxine Duke and the six outstanding Nursing Chairs have developed relationships with clinicians, patients and the industry more broadly to understand the problems facing health care and find research solutions to improve the quality of care for many patients.
THE SIX CHAIRS OF NURSING AT QPS: • Professor Julie Considine, Eastern Health. • Professor Alison Hutchinson, Monash Health. • Alfred Deakin Professor Mari Botti, Epworth HealthCare.
MULTIMEDIA TOOL ACTIVATES SURGICAL PATIENTS
• Professor Trisha Dunning, Barwon Health. • P rofessor Bodil Rasmussen, Western Health. • P rofessor Tracey Bucknall, Alfred Health.
Technology is helping to empower surgical patients – and achieving outstanding results – thanks to an innovative tool tested and evaluated by a QPS PhD student. Working with Alfred Deakin Professor Mari Botti and Professor Richard de Steiger, PhD student Jo McDonall assisted in the development and led the testing of an innovative patient activation support tool. The tool can be easily accessed on an iPad and guides patients on the most effective ways to achieve the best possible recovery after surgery, allowing them to return home earlier.
Trialled at Epworth Healthcare, the tool is showing strong promise for improved patient outcomes. It has the potential to be used across the country, initially for patients receiving knee surgery, but is modifiable for patients having all types of surgery. “The trial group experienced less pain, and went home a day earlier than the control group.” Professor Mari Botti
“The collaboration will provide a large, rich data source,” said Professor Duke. “We expect the
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WOMEN RESEARCHERS PROVIDE STRENGTH IN NUMBERS FOR ECOLOGY ENCOURAGING GIRLS INTO SCIENCE IS A TOUGH ASK, BUT ONE THAT SURELY BENEFITS FROM ROLE MODELS. NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY THERE IS A RECOGNITION OF THE LACK OF REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN SCIENTIFIC JOBS. HOWEVER, IT’S CLEAR THAT THE CENTRE FOR INTEGRATIVE ECOLOGY (CIE) IS BUCKING THAT TREND – WITH EXCELLENT FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN TRADITIONAL STEM SUBJECT AREAS.
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The number of early and mid-career women researchers in Deakin’s Centre for Integrative Ecology (CIE) has reached a critical mass. There are currently 62 women in the CIE, out of a total of 139 members, including PhD students. Their projects aim to build understanding of the interactions between animal behaviour, physiology and ecology, with the aim of explaining the distribution and resilience of our animals and ecosystems, particularly in the face of environmental change. Many of CIE’s female staff and students also have young families and have had to devise creative ways to balance the challenges of family and work. These have included setting up flexible, part-time working arrangements, engaging in informal support networks, and providing grant and publication reviewing and career mentoring for one another. The most senior female researcher in CIE, ARC Future Fellow Professor Kate Buchanan has
three primary school-aged children of her own and juggles the demands of managing an active research team with a busy household. This can be stressful at times, but CIE’s critical mass of supportive, like-minded female academics reduces some of the difficulty. “Authorship by women academics in ecology is about 30 per cent internationally. As a proportion of the academic staff, the CIE has a higher proportion of female researchers. It’s not clear exactly why, but it’s likely to be in part a result of the supportive culture we have developed, with backing from CIE Director, Professor Marcel Klaassen, himself a father of three daughters.” Professor Kate Buchanan 8
“In the CIE, part-time work is commonplace, as well as working from home, working flexible hours and using whatever means we can to support our families and achieve our career goals. If women can find or invent an environment that encourages research activity within the bounds of family demands, female academics can thrive,” said Professor Buchanan. “Women understand the issues faced by other women. We are not born self-publicists, so we try to encourage each other to promote our work and develop our career pathways. “As a mid-career academic, I greatly appreciated participating in Deakin University’s ‘Academic Women Aspiring to Leadership’ program and found the training and advice offered by the University very much supported my career goals. The excellent provision of on-campus childcare at the University has also been vital in allowing me to maintain my research outputs whilst I managed young kids.” Dr Lee Ann Rollins and Dr Mylene Mariette are successful early career researchers at the CIE, undertaking important evolution-related research. Both are recipients of prestigious ARC “Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards” (DECRAs) to support their research, and both have had their findings published in leading science journals in the past year. A geneticist specialising in invasive species, Dr Rollins is focusing her DECRA on rapid evolution of cane toads at their invasive “front line”. She is seeking to understand whether rapid evolution occurs through genetic or epigenetic means; in other words, whether changes in organisms are caused by modification of gene expression, rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. “Cane toads in Australia have very little genetic diversity, but huge differences in phenotypes,” Dr Rollins explained. “In Western Australia, for instance, cane toads have longer legs than those in the east. In the absence of genetic variation, it is possible epigenetic modifications underlie the rapid changes we’ve seen. “Traditionally, epigenetic modifications were thought to drive short-term individual modification, but not evolutionary change. We are using Australian cane toads to test whether epigenetic change is influencing evolution in this system.” 9
Dr Rollins is the mother of two high school students, and has a “super-supportive partner” who has been their primary care-giver for the past several years. She is enthusiastic about the value of strong female role models in academia. “Kate Buchanan has been an amazing role model and mentor to almost every female researcher in the CIE – she is especially sensitive to the issues that are important for us. This can make all the difference to someone’s career.”
Dr Emily Nicholson
Dr Lee Ann Rollins Also researching evolution, Dr Mariette and her team have produced the first evidence that zebra finch parents can adjust the development of their offspring within the egg in response to air temperature by modifying their calls. This previously unknown ecological function for embryonic hearing abilities could prove critical for the survival of a number of bird species in a warming climate. Associate Professor Rebecca Lester is another CIE researcher juggling family and academic responsibilities. Associate Professor Lester, based at Deakin’s Warrnambool campus, has reduced her hours to spend time with her 18-month old son. However, she is passionate about continuing her research into ways to improve freshwater and estuarine management systems, “so we can have clean drinking water, adequate irrigation and water for other uses, and keep the natural systems healthy.” While Associate Professor Lester was on maternity leave, a postdoctoral researcher was appointed to keep her research program on track, while sessional staff covered her teaching duties. “In the past, during maternity leave for most academics the research would have just sat there, but we managed to ‘line up all the ducks’ and get this covered,” she said. “We hope this can become more standard support.” The value of the work of CIE’s women researchers seems almost incalculable. Thanks to their determination and collaboration, they are providing crucial insights as to how the environment might be protected in the face of unprecedented pressures from climate change, population growth and development so future generations can enjoy it as we do.
METRICS REVEAL TRUE EFFORTS OF WORK AND MOTHERHOOD Burwood-based conservation scientist Dr Emily Nicholson has been inspirational in her efforts to advance her career, protect the planet and support other women scientists. Seeking a permanent research position while caring for three young sons, she encountered a career brick wall. Then she discovered that reframing her achievements could provide a way forward. She took a scientific approach to the problem, realising that reporting her productivity metrics to account for her time away from work, including numbers of publications, citation rates and grant income – and showcasing her time away from work – would help to ensure she was judged fairly. The approach worked. She gained a tenured post in the next position she applied for, at Deakin.
In 2015, Dr Nicholson was acknowledged as an outstanding female leader in STEM research through an inaugural “Inspiring Women Fellowship,” a scheme funded by the Victorian Government through the Office of the Lead Scientist and delivered by veski. She also received a 2015 Australian Museum Eureka Award, as part of the global research team that developed a new framework for ecosystem risk assessment, the Red List of Ecosystems. The Red List has been adopted as the global standard by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – the world’s biggest environmental organisation – and by governments, researchers and NGOs worldwide, and has influenced Australian policy.
More importantly, she shared her tactics in a paper in the internationally leading journal “Science” and became a role model for women across the globe. Her article has been viewed over 25,000 times since it was published in May 2015, and is in the top one per cent of all articles measured by Altmetrics for social media reach. 10
In addition to the strong leadership provided by the Vice-Chancellor and the Executive, seven women in particular have worked together with Professor Beverley Oliver, Deputy ViceChancellor Education, to transform the Deakin student experience across five integrated stages: Choosing Deakin; Getting Started; Learning and Achieving; Feeling Safe, Supported and Engaged; and Being Connected and Employment Ready.
Professor Liz Johnson
From left: Ms Lucy Schulz, Professor Beverley Oliver, Ms Fofi Hronopoulous
LADIES LEADING DEAKIN’S PREMIUM STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE LIFE FOR STUDENTS AT DEAKIN UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN TRANSFORMING OVER THE PAST DECADE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE UNIVERSITY EMBARKED ON ITS LIVE THE FUTURE STRATEGIC AGENDA IN 2012. Professor Dineli Mather
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12 From left: Ms Corinna Ridley, Ms Lynn Warneke and Mrs Trisca Scott-Branagan
“Even though we report to different members of the Executive, this group of women has worked as a team, along with many other colleagues, to ensure we create a seamless student experience, regardless of the student’s personal circumstances and ambitions. Our core offer is to educate students for the jobs and skills of the future using elegant digital tools and campus environments.” Professor Beverly Oliver Every student at Deakin experiences a premium digital environment, including the 12,500 students who study completely online through Deakin’s Cloud Campus. Executive Director of Marketing, Mrs Trisca Scott-Branagan uses a wide variety of digital marketing strategies and channels to engage with prospective students. Pro Vice-Chancellor Teaching and Learning, Professor Liz Johnson has responsibility for curriculum enhancement. “This includes implementation of a range of employability strategies such as assessments that simulate tasks in the working world; quality learning resources that are available in a range of modes to suit user bandwidth; and connections with industry,” said Professor Johnson. Academic Registrar, Ms Fofi Hronopoulous ensures from behind the scenes that multiple ways and times for students to start or advance in their courses are possible. “Regardless of where they live or how they enrol, students enjoy easy access to support services including coaching and mentoring,” said Ms Corinna Ridley, Manager of Student Academic and Peer Support Services.
“At a time when graduates are finding it harder than ever to break into the workforce, formally recognising the sorts of skills employers demand is critically important,” said Professor Dineli Mather, Pro Vice-Chancellor Graduate Employment. The strategy has helped Deakin surge in student satisfaction and graduate employability rankings in recent years. Deakin was ranked third in Australia for graduate employability by the “Times Higher Education” in November 2016 and has maintained the highest level of Overall Student Satisfaction among Victorian universities for the past seven years (AGS 2010–2016). The Director, Cloud Campus, Ms Lucy Schulz nominates collaboration within the leadership team and across the University – including with students – as central to the success of Deakin’s strategy. “We realised we had to leave our own interests at the door, so we could look at the University from the student’s perspective,” she said. “We have been working very closely with many people from the Faculties and with many students, through focus groups, trials and user experience mapping. “We have been able to introduce these changes easily because staff want to do a great job and help each other and especially the students, who are our primary concern. This is inherent in the values at Deakin. We hold a shared belief that we really need to transform to meet the challenges of massive disruption to education.” Executive Director of Channels and Platforms, Ms Lynn Warneke collaborates with and enables colleagues across all five stages to digitise processes, apply user experience techniques to product design and introduce emerging technologies that support new ways to improve the student experience.
“Our goal is to provide a more engaging, effective and delightful experience that matches what students are receiving in other parts of their life, like online social interactions, and retail or entertainment,”
STRENGTHENING THE FOCUS ON JOBS
Ms Lynn Warneke
The successful appointee, Professor Dineli Mather, has introduced a swathe of initiatives to improve graduate employment.
Challenges facing universities, and society more broadly, include the unknown future of work, disrupted education and business models, the growth in massive open online courses (MOOCS), rising costs and fee deregulation, and volatile international student mobility. In the face of such an uncertain environment, this team of women has a much clearer grasp of where Australian universities are headed than most. “When trying to determine the trajectory of major societal change, like digital disruption, we tend to underestimate the scale and overestimate the speed of change,” said Ms Warneke. “There will be profound shifts in how we go about being educated, but we are not machines. People still have a fundamental need to connect with each other.” Professor Oliver added: “It’s a great privilege to work with such an inspirational group of women from so many portfolios across the University.”
“Today’s graduates face the challenge of trying to get a foothold in one of the toughest labour markets in history,” Professor Mather said. DeakinTalent, the University’s new graduate employment portal, has taken career development and employment services online. The social business platform lets students explore and connect with employers, and links them to career development and application workshops, which empower them to market themselves to prospective employers. Preparation for workplace success begins on a student’s first day at Deakin. Key employability skills are embedded in every Deakin course: communication, digital literacy, teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, self-management, teamwork and global citizenship.
LEADERS: STUDENT LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE PLAN 2016-2020 - P rofessor Beverley Oliver, Deputy ViceChancellor Education
- M s Corinna Ridley, Manager, Student Academic and Peer Support Services
- Ms Lucy Schulz, Director, Cloud Campus
- P rofessor Dineli Mather, Pro ViceChancellor Graduate Employment
- M rs Trisca Scott-Branagan, Executive Director, Marketing - Ms Fofi Hronopoulous, Academic Registrar 13
An important boost to graduate employment was Deakin’s decision in 2015 to create the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor Graduate Employment – an Australian first.
- P rofessor Liz Johnson, Pro Vice-Chancellor Teaching and Learning
- M s Lynn Warneke, Executive Director, Channels and Platforms 14
IPAN TEAM ACTIVATING AUSTRALIA’S HEALTH AUSTRALIANS AND POPULATIONS AROUND THE WORLD ARE FACING EPIDEMICS OF INACTIVITY, POOR DIET AND OBESITY – ONE OF THE GREATEST GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OF THE CURRENT ERA. DETERMINED TO HELP TURN THIS TIDE, A TEAM AT DEAKIN HAS CARVED A NICHE AS A RESEARCH LEADER, INFLUENCING POLICY, PRACTICE, AND NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD.
Whether it be working to get children off their seats at school, analysing the diets parents provide their infants, or finding ways to help vulnerable groups, including those on low-incomes or the elderly, to be active and eat healthier food, a team of over 60 researchers at Deakin – around two thirds of whom are women – has attracted national and international attention with its achievements. Led by Co-Directors Alfred Deakin Professor David Crawford and Alfred Deakin Professor Jo Salmon, the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) has grown from strength to strength since it was originally established as a Strategic Research Centre in 2010. It is now one of Deakin’s four Research Institutes. IPAN takes a unique, multi-disciplinary approach in its efforts to increase activity levels of all age groups and improve diets, health and quality of life.
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“At IPAN we have built up a critical mass of social scientists, physiologists, dietitians, nutritionists, biochemists, epidemiologists, psychologists, geographers and others because we know we need a broad range of expertise to solve these multifaceted problems,” said Professor Salmon. As well as seeking to help the general population, IPAN researchers are investigating ways to improve health in disadvantaged communities and support healthy ageing. They are also building understanding of the best means to maintain healthy bones and muscles, cognitive and mental health, active workplaces and healthy food policy. IPAN researchers work closely with key agencies, including government departments, the Heart Foundation, Diabetes Australia and many others, providing a solid evidence base to inform policy directions. 16
“IPAN has a culture of excellence, of making a real difference and supporting others through ‘capacity building. “It is part of our DNA. In everything we do, we ask, ‘How can we support and develop our less experienced researchers so they can play a role in the future health of Australians?’ “This mindset also attracts others with the same values.” Professor Jo Salmon In 2015, four IPAN researchers became the first of five researchers at Deakin ever to be ranked in the top one per cent in the world within their field – as measured by the prestigious Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher list. Three of these Highly Cited Researchers are women who joined Deakin at the beginning of their careers. Alfred Deakin Professor Anna Timperio and Alfred Deakin Professor Salmon were PhD students at Deakin, and Alfred Deakin Professor Kylie Ball joined the University as a Postdoctoral Fellow. The fourth is Alfred Deakin Professor David Crawford, who joined Deakin 18 years ago and can be credited with establishing the foundations of IPAN. Professor Kylie Ball noted that women in IPAN have brought remarkable research strengths and expertise that have helped catapult the group to its position as a world-class research team. “We are proud that many of our women are international leaders in their fields, including in disciplines such as physiology and statistics, where women are traditionally particularly underrepresented,” she said. As one example of IPAN’s many initiatives, the Transform-Us! project, led by Professor Jo Salmon, is working to increase children’s activity levels and reduce their sitting time in all Victorian primary schools. This five-year partnership project has been funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and involves partners such as VicHealth, the Department of Education and Training, Victorian Independent Schools,
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the Victorian Principals’ Association, and several other bodies. “Reducing the time a child is seated by 30 minutes a day over a two-and-a-half year period can substantially benefit children’s health,” Professor Salmon said. “Teachers are provided with strategies to incorporate activity during class and homework periods. It could be moving around the room to measure furniture, walking down the street for geography homework, or the myriad other ways they can learn out of their seats.” Once the program has successfully been embedded in Victoria, Professor Salmon hopes it will become part of routine best practice in all Australian schools. One of the new generation of IPAN researchers, NHMRC Early Career Fellow Dr Miaobing (Jazzmin) Zheng is researching the growth pattern of Australian infants to identify the dietary causes of too-rapid growth during infancy and early childhood and subsequent increased risk for childhood obesity. “The World Health Organisation (WHO) global estimates report that 41 million children aged five years and under were overweight or obese in 2014,” said Dr Zheng. “Our study findings will inform future revisions to guidelines including the NHMRC’s Australian Infant Feeding Guidelines and Australian Dietary Guidelines, as well as reviews of infant formula and baby food composition standards.” Researching the other end of the lifespan, Associate Professor Sarah McNaughton, an NHMRC Career Development Fellow, is investigating diet and physical activity during retirement. Funded by the Australian Research Council, the “Wellbeing, Eating and Exercise for a Long Life (WELL) Study” is a longitudinal study of around 4000 adults aged over 55 years, who live in Victoria. WELL is seeking to identify factors that influence nutrition and physical activity behaviours in this age group, as well as investigating the impact of lifestyle factors on cardiovascular risk factors, cognitive function and depression. It will provide evidence for more effective policies and programs to promote healthy ageing. This is an equally important target group, given the current ageing population in Australia and projections for ageing populations internationally.
From left: Dr Katie Lacy, Professor Caryl Nowson, Dr Penny Love, Professor Karen Campbell and Dr Shannon Sahlqvist
A VOICE FOR WOMEN One of IPAN’s most successful women researchers, Professor Kylie Ball, plays a key role in mentoring and developing early- and mid-career researchers and is passionate about gender equity in research. A Highly Cited Researcher and one of only three of Deakin’s elected Fellows of the newly established Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, Professor Ball said she has had her own challenges to overcome. These included trying to manage multiple large research projects whilst on maternity leave or working part-time, and, at times, being the sole female voice on research review panels advocating for gender equity. Nonetheless, she is delighted to be sharing the lessons of her experience.
“To help address the many challenges that women face, role models and mentoring can make a difference, but there is a broader need to realise that women are still primarily responsible for the majority of household work, especially when there are children. “In Higher Education, we still need more flexible options for women, such as more familyfriendly meeting and working hours and holiday times. For instance, the major research grant application season, one of our busiest times of year, falls in the summer school holiday period. These types of issues need to be considered across the sector and in society more broadly for women to achieve true equality.” Professor Kylie Ball
“With the recognition I have received, I am most excited to have a voice and the opportunity to promote health and medical research that will benefit Australia and the world,” she said. “In regards to women, it is terrific that there are so many women researchers at IPAN, although there is still an imbalance at more senior levels. I am committed to helping redress that by encouraging others and acting as a role model. 18
RESEARCH SERVICES TEAM GO XTRA MILE IN BUSINESS AND LAW THE NINE MEMBERS OF THE RESEARCH SERVICES TEAM IN THE FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND LAW WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER DURING A TIME OF MAJOR TRANSITION WITHIN THE FACULTY IN 2015. THEY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND NOW SUPPORT A FLOURISHING RESEARCH CULTURE.
Led by Manager Bronwyn Kelly, the team conducts a diverse range of research support services, one of the most important being the human face they provide to the Faculty’s PhD students. They are there for the students throughout the whole PhD life-cycle, from the enquiry stage, through their studies, to completion. “Having a friendly face to interact with is something the PhD students appreciate greatly,” said Ms Kelly. “The team helps with orientation and setting up workspaces, suggestions on ways to build university and social connections, or offer advice and referral for any number of issues the students encounter. This is particularly useful for our international students.”
From left: Ms Penny Love, Ms Katrina Fleming and Ms Vilia Dukas
The Faculty supports a growing cohort of research students, with 33 PhD graduates mounting the podium last year and 110 presently pursuing their PhD studies. Around one-third of the PhD students are international, from countries such as China, India, Iran, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, with about 20 per cent studying off-campus.
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From left: Ms Julie Asquith, Ms Gloria Stevenson, Ms Bron Kelly, Ms Elizabeth Fitzgerald
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Ms Kelly said that a major achievement of the team has been facilitating the smooth introduction of Deakin’s new PhD Xtra program into the Faculty of Business and Law. They work closely with Dr Josh Newton, the Faculty HDR Director, appointed in late 2016 to oversee the Faculty’s PhD training. Introduced in 2016 across the University, PhD Xtra provides a more structured approach to PhD training, aiming to ensure students have the skills and knowledge to succeed during their PhD, as well as becoming equipped for the workforce once they graduate. In the Business and Law Faculty, the PhD students now undertake at least three units of coursework-based research training: qualitative research methods, quantitative research methods and philosophy of research, and a discipline reading unit. “It is wonderful to be part of such a collegial team,” said Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Coordinator of Research Services, who has been at Deakin for 12 years and joined the central office from her position in the School of Management and Marketing. She returned to work after nearly 20 years at home raising six children. “I am glad that I was able to gain work in the university sector, which is very family-friendly,” she said. “I have now moved to working four days a week, which is bliss.” “The team runs like a well-oiled machine and goes above and beyond every day to support me in growing research and supporting researchers across the entire Faculty. “I quite literally couldn’t do my job without them. They are innovative, forward looking and nimble.” Alfred Deakin Professor Ingrid Nielsen, Associate Dean Research “They have also been pivotal in the establishment of the BUiLD initiative, which supports research capability development in the Faculty, with a particular focus on developing early and midcareer academics, and research students,” added Professor Nielsen. She noted that the team has also played a key role in securing the Faculty’s recent accreditation by the prestigious AACSB global business education network. A hallmark of excellence, 21
AACSB accreditation is awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and is known worldwide as the most recognised form of professional accreditation an institution and its business programs can earn.
“I also changed to part-time work when my children were small. It has been fantastic to see the Institution-wide adoption of the flexible arrangements that benefitted me. A number of women in our team have also benefitted from this flexibility.
Professor Nielsen makes special note of the capabilities of the research services team’s leader, Bronwyn Kelly.
“Employers get huge value from part-time employees. People come to work refreshed and with different perspectives. I have also had fantastic women mentors and role models at Deakin.
“It is rare to see someone who pairs such outstanding process management skills with an equally superb people management capacity. The ability to draw the very best, each and every day, out of all those whom one manages is the hallmark of great leadership. Under Bronwyn’s highly capable leadership, this is a team that is far greater than the sum of its parts.” Ms Kelly is equally effusive about her team – and the “inspirational leadership” provided by Professor Nielsen. “Professor Nielsen is a trailblazer. Since she returned to Deakin in 2014 as Professor of Management, she has played a central role in the establishment of the Deakin Business School. She is very knowledgeable and strategic in the way she addresses her own research, research in Higher Education and research administration for the Faculty.” Bronwyn Kelly
“To have been able to work in so many different areas at one organisation has been wonderful. It is great to be part of a university. What we do is really important. It makes a difference. Everyone in the team feels that.”
RESEARCH SERVICES TEAM, BUSINESS AND LAW: • A lfred Deakin Professor Ingrid Nielsen, Associate Dean (Research) • B ronwyn Kelly, Manager, Research Services
DEAKIN VALUES SHOULD BE LIFELONG At a recent Graduation Ceremony, Alfred Deakin Professor Ingrid Nielsen became the first female member of the Business and Law professoriate to receive the title Alfred Deakin Professor, Deakin’s highest honour. Professor Nielsen gave the occasional address at the ceremony, telling the graduates that “at Deakin, our mission is to make a difference to the communities we serve.” “This goal has never been more important than it is now,” she said. “We live in a time when business is more often seen to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution, where the gap between rich and poor is growing, and where long-term interests are being sacrificed for short-term gains. You must remember that while the opportunities for graduates are virtually limitless, you should never forget your Deakin values to make a difference to the communities you serve.”
• E lizabeth Fitzgerald, Coordinator, Research Services • S teven Gardner, Coordinator, Research Funding and Development • K atrina Fleming, Senior Administration Officer, Research Services • J ulie Asquith, Administration Officer, Research Services
“Her achievements have injected life and vitality into the Faculty’s research culture, especially with respect to junior colleagues, and most especially junior female colleagues. She inspires through leadership-by-example.”
• V ilia Dukas, Administration Officer, Research Services
Ms Kelly has witnessed many changes at Deakin since she began at the University 30 years ago.
• G loria Stevenson, Administration Officer, Research Services
“I have always tried to take advantage of opportunities as they arose and completed secondments in the Faculty of Business before I moved there full-time in 1995,” she said.
• L ee-Ann Stones, Administration Officer, Research Services
• P enny Love, Administration Officer, Faculty Research Centres
Ms Bronwyn Kelly and Professor Ingrid Nielsen
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for women, having been State Convenor and on the National Board of Women’s Electoral Lobby and edited a book, “Women, Public Policy and the State,” in the early 2000s. She brings her energy and a wealth of knowledge to Deakin’s SAGE Athena SWAN program, in its efforts to stimulate meaningful change. Professor Hancock is a world-leading expert on gambling regulation. She has advised governments on gambling, and authored many publications, including the influential, “Regulatory Failure? The Case of Crown Casino” (2011). She is leading two Australian Research Council (ARC)-funded research teams. One involves collaborating with researchers from Deakin’s Faculty of Health, other universities and industry partners to gain insights into the tactics and improve accountability of the alcohol and gambling industries. Professor Hancock, along with ADI’s Dr Natalie Ralph and partners from six Australian universities, contributes to a theme within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) examining and understanding holistic ethical issues for emerging alternative energy industries across the supply chain.
COLLABORATING FOR DEEPER SOCIETAL UNDERSTANDING IN A TIME OF HUGE TENSIONS ACROSS THE WORLD,
THE ALFRED DEAKIN INSTITUTE FOR CITIZENSHIP
THROUGH POPULATION MOVEMENTS, WORK AND
AND GLOBALISATION (ADI) ARE DOING ALL THEY
DIGITAL DISRUPTIONS, POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND
CAN TO DIG DEEP INTO THESE ISSUES – SEEKING
CLIMATE CHANGE, MANY OF US ARE JUST TRYING
ANSWERS TO THESE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS FACING
TO KEEP OUR HEADS ABOVE WATER. YET A LARGE
THE MODERN WORLD.
GROUP OF COMMITTED WOMEN RESEARCHERS AT
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The ADI supports 55 researchers, more than half of whom are women. While the breadth of their research is awe-inspiring, a common thread among the researchers is the belief that they have a duty to deepen our understanding of highly complex societal issues, if we are to learn from the past, educate the public and build a more equitable and sustainable future. One of ADI’s most experienced researchers, Professor Linda Hancock is passionate about calling out injustice where she sees it. As Professor of Politics and Policy Studies, her research spans topics from gambling and alcohol industry tactics, to the ethical issues of disruptive technology, to gender equality in the workforce. In relation to the latter, Professor Hancock has been a relentless advocate for improving equity
“While this type of disruptive technology is exciting, there are ethical issues that need to be carefully considered,” Professor Hancock said. “For instance, we need to understand where cobalt, copper and lithium used in new-age electric car batteries is mined – and whether it comes from conflict-affected countries or if indigenous people will be displaced as a result and what environmental damage this mining might cause. “We also need to consider future scarcity of these materials and whether that will affect affordability, particularly for people in developing countries.” For this project and others, Professor Hancock and her team are pioneering interdisciplinary and cross-university collaboration, as a means of building broader understanding of complex social and ethical issues. They are collaborating particularly closely with women chief investigators, including Deakin’s Professor Maria Forsyth, who is also Deputy Director, ACES and a specialist in battery and corrosion research. 24
“This collaboration has brought political science to the science table,” said Professor Hancock. “We are breaking down the silos, and many women are involved in the ACES project. Political science and public policy collaborating with the natural sciences will give us a much better chance of getting things right. So many issues require a multi-disciplinary approach.” In the highly sensitive research realm of diversity and identity, several ADI teams are asking hard questions with the aim of teasing out issues and building academic and societal understanding. ADI Deputy Director Professor Andrea Witcomb is researching the nuances of identity in relation to multiculturalism. Her team is investigating how public exhibitions, museums, and heritage places offer unique opportunities for crosscultural encounters. These official repositories reveal much about contemporary and historical attitudes. They not only reflect, but influence, social attitudes. Professor Witcomb noted that cultural diversity has been increasingly presented and recorded in museums, libraries and archives since the early ‘80s. Australia established the world’s first immigration museum in 1986 in Adelaide, with Melbourne’s Immigration Museum opening in 1998. “When we talk about Australia as a multicultural nation, the focus tends to be on ethnic groups,” she said. “‘Surprisingly, Anglo Celtic has not been seen as having ethnicity. It takes a big effort to change our thinking of Anglo Celtic people from settlers to migrants, but we need to. We need to ask what we mean by the phrase ‘us and them.’” Newly-appointed ARC Future Fellow Professor Emma Kowal and early career researchers Dr Sam Balaton-Chrimes and Dr Victoria Stead co-convene ADI’s Diversity and Identity research stream, focussed on the nature of identity in plural, multicultural societies and issues between indigenous and non-indigenous people. One of the projects, led by Dr Stead, examines labour migration pathways for both Indigenous Australians and Pacific Islanders. The team is taking an historical approach, investigating
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the labour mobility of Indigenous and Pacific Island people. This extends from the time of “Blackbirding” in the late 19th century, when South Sea Islanders were brought to Northern QLD as indentured labourers, through 20th century attempts at supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to “orbit” from their communities to find work, to the current Seasonal Worker Program that brings Pacific Islanders to Australia for temporary work on farms across the country. “We have a lot to learn from comparing the history of these two groups – Indigenous people and Pacific Islanders – who are rarely considered together. “Innovative collaborations like this one lead to new ideas that help us better understand the world we live in. Understanding labour migration is particularly important because increasing inequality, climate change and resource scarcity will accelerate all types of population movements around the world, and Indigenous people are often particularly affected.”
PARTNERSHIP REVEALS TRUE PICTURE OF MUSLIM YOUTH In a project that encapsulates the power of collaboration, a team led by Professor Anita Harris has revealed a more accurate picture of the positive contribution many young Muslim people are making to Australia. Calling on young people from within Muslim communities to undertake peer-to-peer interviews within their everyday networks, Professor Harris’ ARC Discovery project has uncovered many positive ways that young Muslims are engaging in community and building social cohesion. “It is so important to tell the real story, based on evidence,” said Professor Harris.
Her team undertook qualitative peer-based research to interview 80 ordinary Muslim youth, aged 16-25, in Melbourne and Brisbane, to find out what they did to make a positive difference in Australian society. “We found many young people are involved in communities and civic activities beyond their own religious and/or ethnic group,” said Professor Harris. “They far outperformed mainstream youth when it came to volunteering and helping out in a crisis. During the floods in Brisbane, for instance, they were helping out in hospitals and old people’s homes. “For all its faults, Australian multiculturalism works. It comes up positively in international comparisons with many other countries. Its longstanding nature in Australia means we have a generation of young people who take it for granted and are committed to its values. This is a good thing.” Professor Anita Harris
Professor Emma Kowal
THE FOUR RESEARCH STREAMS AT ADI: DEVELOPMENT, INEQUALITY AND WELLBEING
GOVERNANCE, JUSTICE AND SECURITY
Centres on the theory, policy and practice necessary for achieving good development and the fulfilment of human rights.
The effective and just development of governance and security is a critical challenge of the 21st century. This research stream is concerned with the personal, social and global aspects of efforts to promote peace, stability and justice.
DIVERSITY AND IDENTITY
Examines the many forms and claims of identity within and between complex societies. It spans philosophical issues about the nature of identity and agency, historical studies of colonialism and migration, and anthropological, sociological and political questions concerning the contemporary world.
HERITAGE, INDIGENEITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Taking disciplinary pluralism as its starting point, this research stream examines the concepts of heritage, indigeneity and sustainability as categories of critical enquiry, fields of practical and political contestation, and terms of increasing importance within international discourse today. 26
NEW TEAM SLOTS INTO PLACE FOR FINANCE REVAMP AN EXPERT TEAM IS LEADING A UNIVERSITY-WIDE OVERHAUL OF DEAKIN’S FINANCE SERVICES AND SYSTEMS.
Deakin University’s Chief Financial Officer Ms Kerrie Parker arrived at Deakin just in time to help lead one of the most ambitious finance overhauls the University has ever undertaken. Far from being daunted, however, Ms Parker is energised by the prospect of transforming Deakin’s finance services – and confident she has a dynamic team behind her to deliver on her transformational vision. In building her team, which features strong representation of women in an area that has traditionally been male-dominated, Ms Parker says she did not need to follow any requirement for quotas. “I have always hired the best person for the job,” she said. “There was a good team of men and women when I arrived at Deakin 14 months ago and women have been the best candidates for several new appointments. We have recruited excellent candidates of both genders.” The Finance Business Transformation is being directly overseen by Program Director Sherry Herman, along with a team of over 70 finance gurus from across the University. On completion, the transformation is expected to result in a significantly more efficient finance services and finance system within two years. The overhaul is a major challenge for a large, complex organisation like Deakin, which has over
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4,200 staff and more than 54,000 students, of whom almost 10,000 are international. “In large part, the project success will come down to coordinated planning and great teamwork,” said Ms Parker. “At present, we have many separate finance teams, totalling over 150 people, many of whom will benefit directly from the process. We will provide opportunities for professional development and exposure to other parts of the University, strengthening team skills and looking at succession planning. “We are seconding key staff into the program, almost half of whom are female, to ensure that we are building the skills within Deakin that will be needed to continue improving the finance services long after the transition program concludes. This in turn provides an opportunity for others to step into roles at the next level, enabling us to upskill right across the University.
“At the end of the program we expect to know where all of our key talent is so that we can build our finance community into a high-calibre crossinstitutional team. “The reference / subject matter expert groups we have established as part of the process offer a brilliant way of building our collective knowledge storehouse. These groups are assessing the current system and researching models of how Deakin will work best in the future.”
The transformation is being undertaken in four phases: gathering information about existing processes and system architectures; designing new processes and a business plan; implementing the new solution; and decommissioning the previous system. “It is exciting to know that we will support the University as it adapts to an evolving Higher Education sector,” said Ms Parker.
She noted that a key benefit of this approach was the sense of ownership it would provide Deakin finance staff. “Having a real say as to how the finance services will be transformed acknowledges the expertise of individuals within the team and into the future will produce advocates for the new way of working,” Chief Financial Officer Ms Kerrie Parker.
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A TALE OF TWO COUNTRIES – HOW GLOBAL COLLABORATION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FROM ITS OFFICES IN THE SAKET DISTRICT CENTRE OF THE SPRAWLING INDIAN CAPITAL OF NEW DELHI, THE DEAKIN SOUTH ASIA TEAM IS A ‘MINIDEAKIN,’ WORKING CLOSELY WITH COLLEAGUES IN AUSTRALIA TO ADMINISTER A GROWING PROGRAM OF IN-COUNTRY AND JOINT PHD INITIATIVES THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO THE EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES OF WOMEN ACROSS THE REGION.
“Our focus is about being in India, with India and engaging with India,” said Ravneet Pawha, Associate Vice President (Global) and Executive Director-South Asia. “We have always been about creating partnerships that are sustainable and mutually beneficial to Deakin and to India and ensuring that we provide quality service to partners and to students.” Achieving those goals relies on collaboration and relationship building – with Australian colleagues across Faculties and campuses, with Indian industry, business and educational institutions and with government bodies in both countries. Ms Pawha and her 40-strong team, 60 per cent of whom are women, spend long hours nutting out the details of memorandums of understanding, guiding students through the process of
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becoming a part of Deakin, and ensuring that visiting Australian Faculty members are made to feel welcome as they meet with their Indian counterparts. Their efforts have resulted in collaborations between Deakin and some of India’s leading universities, research institutions and corporations, including Fortune 500 petrochemical company Indian Oil, the not-forprofit Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and numerous public and private health organisations such as the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and the Public Health Foundation of India. Building a presence in India has sometimes been a challenge, given that India has traditionally looked to the US and UK for international education, rather than Australia. However, there is strong synergy between the research needs of the two countries, in areas such as smart agriculture, reliable renewable energy solutions and the growing health burden of diabetes and heart disease in both countries. This has led to increasing numbers of Indian postgraduate students seeking to complete a Deakin PhD under the Deakin India Research Initiative (DIRI).
“The joint PhD and in-country PhD programs allow them to further their education and contribute to research that benefits their own community without having to give up their employment and uproot their families to study overseas for years. “For example, we have female students working with health organisations here to collect data about factors influencing the rate of diseases like diabetes that are relevant to the Indian context. If they had to go abroad to do their research, their work wouldn’t necessarily translate into outcomes that could benefit their own communities. “At Deakin, they get the best of both worlds – they have the ability to interact with colleagues in Australia on a regular basis and experience global exposure and different cultures. This gives them the opportunity to widen their networks and learn what women in other parts of the world are doing while enhancing their career prospects in their own country.” Ravneet Pawha, Associate Vice President (Global) and Executive Director-South Asia
“With such a large number of our employees being women, there is a strong sense of connection and bonding. It also makes a difference when it comes to external communication and interactions with students and parents – there is a sensitivity and ‘dealing with care’ approach.” Ms Pawha is herself a postgraduate in international education, and many of her team members have undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in business, commerce, science and the arts. “All of them see working for Deakin South Asia as a career progression,” Ms Pawha said. “They see it as a place where they can make a difference, they’re learning, and they’re associated with an institution that is seen as a benchmark for the industry.” Ms Pawha has been part of Deakin’s work in India since the very beginning, when the University launched its first joint venture in the country, offering management programs through distance learning with the Australian Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers. When Deakin became the first international
university to set up an office in India two years later, she took on the task of managing it. More than two decades later, Deakin South Asia’s team of dedicated professionals has overcome the challenges of distance and cultural differences to develop an enviable international reputation and a presence in Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan, Mauritius and the Maldives. In that time, Ms Pawha has worked with a number of Vice-Chancellors to shape the vision of the South Asia office. “I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with two of Deakin’s leading women, Professor Sally Walker and Professor Jane den Hollander,” she said. “Professor Walker was highly supportive and provided so much guidance and input into the Deakin India story. Professor den Hollander is a mentor; I have learnt so much from her on this journey. “We’ve grown with a lot of hard work and invaluable support and enthusiasm from Deakin’s leadership and faculties. Now, we’re at the point where we make a real difference.”
Created to bridge the innovation gap between academia and industry, DIRI bases higher degree by research candidates at Indian research institutions, with day-to-day supervision provided by local researchers. Deakin academics serve as principal supervisors for the students’ research, and the students also visit Deakin in Australia for six months. The program is highly praised by students, supervisors from both countries and directors of the organisations involved, as opening up new pathways for innovative research and creating opportunities to work on joint projects with global impact, not only for the students, but also for the supervisors involved. It has also proved particularly beneficial for Indian women who may otherwise have been unable to continue with higher education. “Some of our PhD students are mothers with established careers,” Ms Pawha explained.
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As in much of the world, the education administration sector in India is dominated by women and the large percentage of women working in the South Asia office reflects this. “I think international education is very much about the service orientation of the sector, and running the sector efficiently has traditionally been a strength of women,” Ms Pawha said.
TERI-Deakin Nano-Biotechnology Centre
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MATERIAL GIRLS TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SCIENCE IS INCREASINGLY ABOUT COLLABORATION AND THE SHARING OF IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES ACROSS DISCIPLINES, REGIONS AND COUNTRIES. WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING EDGE DISCOVERIES, HOW THE RESEARCH TEAM WORKS TOGETHER CAN BE AS VITAL TO THE OUTCOME AS THE SCIENCE.
Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) is home to nearly 120 academic and research staff and more than 150 higher degree by research students. Drawn from engineering, chemistry, materials science, physics, biology, mathematics and other disciplines, the researchers here are at the forefront of innovation in materials design and engineering. Among them are teams led by some of Australia’s brightest minds in electromaterials, molecular modelling and short ultrafine fibres.
“I think it’s interesting how women and men work together in historically male dominated fields. I’m proud to be a role model — not just for young women, but for all those looking at entering the scientific arena. I want to show them that you can be female as well as smart and a good leader. It’s not either/or. You don’t have to be one of the blokes. Just be yourself, because we all have skills to offer.” Professor Maria Forsyth
Professor Maria Forsyth, Professor Tiffany Walsh and Dr Alessandra Sutti are leading their multidisciplinary, multicultural and mixed gender teams in scientific fields traditionally dominated by men, but fortunately have picked the right place to do it.
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Using BatTRI-Hub’s unique, state-of-the-art facilities, Professor Forsyth and her team are developing and testing new electromaterials and nanoporous membranes to ensure that renewable energies can be stored cheaply and efficiently enough to compete with the current energy storage options. “The team brings quite a diverse set of experience to the work, from bioscience to engineering, materials science and chemistry, but everyone has important roles to play,” Professor Forsyth said. Associate Professor Jenny Pringle, who works closely with Professor Forsyth, is pursuing research through an ARC Discovery grant, investigating ways to improve the safety and performance of batteries. She is seeking to develop new solid state electrolytes, with improved conductivity, for use in emerging lithium battery technologies. She is also course co-ordinator of a world-first Masters of Philosophy (Electromaterials) that Deakin developed with the University of Wollongong.
Professor Forsyth – Australian Laureate Fellow, Australian Academy of Science Fellow, Alfred Deakin Professor, Director of BatTRI-Hub, Associate Director in the ARC Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials Science and IFM’s Deputy Director – is internationally recognised as a leader in the fields of advanced materials for new energy and infrastructure technologies. She is also acknowledged as a leader in other areas, managing a large, multidisciplinary team of 40 -50 people across Deakin’s Burwood and Waurn Ponds campuses.
CSIRO BatTRI-Hub – a research and innovation facility for developing next-generation battery and energy storage technologies.
Professor Forsyth is one of Australia’s leading experts in battery technology and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Deakin/
“Advances over the past decade, particularly through nanotechnology and 3D structuring, carbon materials, conducting polymers and
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electrolytes, mean that electromaterials can be used in many different disciplines,” said Associate Professor Pringle. “The job opportunities are there, but few people have the skills to do them well.” For Professor Tiffany Walsh, a member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts and board member for Victorian Endowment for Science, Knowledge Innovation (veski), collaborating with other scientists is ultimately in Australia’s best interests. “We can’t necessarily compete with America and China for everything, but if we want to punch above our weight then Australian scientists need to work together,” she said. Professor Walsh, who returned to Australia from the UK five years ago on a veski Innovation Fellowship, focuses on molecular modelling for a range of applications. Her team is currently
WOMEN CAUSE A SPIN AT CARBON NEXUS Four women researchers are helping to take Carbon Nexus to the forefront of carbon fibre research. Senior Research Fellow Dr Minoo Naebe, Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Nisa Salim, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Claudia Creighton and Research Fellow Dr Mandy de Souza are working together, with their male colleagues and in collaboration with CSIRO and a spectrum of industry partners from aerospace and automotive.
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working on developing technology to assess a person’s level of stress or fatigue using real time, non-invasive methods. “We want to be able to chemically measure the biomarker molecules that indicate stress or fatigue in the body without taking blood samples, for example by monitoring sweat or tears,” she explained. “It’s a revolutionary technology for measuring vigilance and stress at a molecular level.” Professor Walsh’s team is mostly male, which she attributes in part to the traditionally male disciplines her work requires. “Our research lies at the junction of many disciplines, including physical science aspects, such as maths, chemistry, physics and materials science. It also includes biology, where historically there has been greater female participation. Ultimately, you just want the best people on your
Early career researcher Dr Nisa Salim has had an outstanding career since she arrived at Deakin on a scholarship from India in 2008. Amongst several awards, she received a prestigious Victoria Fellowship, delivered by veski, in 2015 that allowed her to visit world leaders in “wet spinning” carbon fibre technology during 2016. This work directly led to the installation of a wet-spinning line to improve the characteristics of the precursor fibre essential in the production of carbon fibre — it is the only such facility in the Southern Hemisphere. This was a joint investment with CSIRO’s Fibre group at the Waurn Ponds
From left: Dr Minoo Naebe, Dr Hua Zhou, Dr Alessandra Sutti, Dr Dan Liu
team, regardless of gender, who contribute, get along and help each other.” As Deakin’s chief researcher in short ultrafine fibres, Dr Alessandra Sutti heads IFM’s awardwinning short polymer fibres group. She said IFM’s open and supportive culture encouraged collaboration across teams and disciplines, regardless of background or gender, which allowed her team to actively collaborate with others across Deakin on successful projects.
“RealSilk is the result of hard work by a dedicated team of multidisciplinary researchers at IFM, Deakin’s School of Engineering and HeiQ,” Dr Sutti said. “Our task now is to enable HeiQ’s scaled up production and together develop new products and new devices to make those products.” Dr Sutti, a materials scientist and engineer, said IFM’s collaborative approach was a reflection of how things were changing in the scientific world.
The short polymer fibres group studies a range of questions and applications in future fibres and materials, particularly exploring ways to enhance and apply properties such as water repellence or chemical absorption. In conjunction with IFM industry partner HeiQ, the group’s work last year led to the development of a commercially-released product “HeiQRealSilk,” which allows ordinary fabrics to mimic the feel and characteristics of silk.
“More and more you don’t just have specialists working only in a narrow field. You also have a growing number of researchers who can apply their expertise to a wide range of research that has a real impact on fundamental and applied science.”
Campus. Recently launched, the new line significantly increases the research and production capabilities at Waurn Ponds.
develop and commercialise a manufacturing technology to fabricate highly curved armour materials from advanced fibre systems, such as polyethylene, Kevlar and carbon fibre.
Another multi-award winning researcher, Dr Minoo Naebe, is focused on developing novel functional and structural hierarchical composites for light-weight ballistic armour and aerospace/automotive composites. Dr Naebe has developed a successful nanocomposite fibre system, which has significantly improved the performance of polyolefin-based polymers and led to a joint patent with industry. Another achievement is the work by Dr Naebe and her team to
Dr Nisa Salim
Drs Creighton and de Souza are working together to design and develop a carbon fibre composite automotive seat for vehicle light-weighting — an important energy saving. This project is part of an Excellerate program and supported by the Auto Cooperative Research Centre. They hope to see their design used in vehicles around the world in the not-too-distant future.
Dr Mandy de Souza (left) and Dr Claudia Creighton
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CHANGING THE WORLD ONE STEP AT A TIME FOSTERING A DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY, CULTURE, GENDER, SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, IS CORE TO DEAKIN’S INSTITUTIONAL VALUES. THE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY TEAM, WHICH WORKS TO ENSURE ALL OF DEAKIN’S STUDENTS AND STAFF FEEL WELCOMED, SAFE AND SUPPORTED, IS CENTRAL TO MAKING THIS VISION A REALITY.
Providing an environment free from discrimination, harassment, victimisation and vilification is a must under Federal and State antidiscrimination laws. In practice, carrying out those responsibilities requires empathy, imagination and understanding, mixed with a sense of justice and pragmatism. These are all qualities Mel Martinelli, Director of Equity and Diversity, and her team demonstrate daily in their wide-ranging work across the University. “We’re a team of diverse professionals who value social justice, trust, openness, collaboration, optimism and commitment,” Ms Martinelli said. “We all bring our unique, individual backgrounds, experiences and interpretations to our work, but in practice we try to be engaged and enabling.
From left: Ms Merrin McCracken, Dr Bree Gorman-Holz, Ms Mel Martinelli, Ms Lyn Edwards
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“Our practice also needs to be evidence-based. We need to know which initiatives and programs make a difference and why. Good evaluation informs future program design and results in improved practice and outcomes.” One of six divisions within Deakin’s Enterprise Portfolio, Equity and Diversity’s all-female senior management team and their individual groups work with the Faculties and other divisions across 38
the University to improve policy and practice and promote equity, diversity, access and inclusion. These efforts are paying off. The Equity and Diversity team received the 2016 ViceChancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student and/or Staff Health and Wellbeing for the Safe and Inclusive Work and Learning Environment project. The project, conducted along with Division of Student Life, Human Resources Division and the NTEU, was prompted by recognition that Deakin’s commitment to provide a range of support mechanisms for victims of domestic and family violence (D&FV) should apply to both staff and students. Thus, a large part of the project involved extensive consultation and research in developing new D&FV policy and procedures for the University. As a result, staff and students can now access free and confidential counselling, practical support and advice from Deakin’s Safer Community service, while staff have access to paid special leave and students are entitled to a range of academic accommodations. Equity and Diversity was also recently involved in a collaboration across the University to develop a Gender Equity in Research policy to reduce the barriers faced by researchers who are also primary carers (most often women), due to metric based assessment of research performance. The policy includes Keeping Connected guidelines through HR, a Career Continuity program through Deakin Research, a Conference Care Support Fund through Equity and Diversity and a set of principles addressing achievement relative to opportunity. “The collaborative nature of this project was very hands on, with many personal discussions with academics, supervisors and women who have taken maternity leave,” Ms Martinelli said. “Essentially, we drew together various administration divisions to deliver an initiative that not just accounts for maternity leave, but proactively assists in the career progression of primary carers by mitigating the impacts that parental or carers’ leave can have on research activity.” Equity and Diversity encourages potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake university studies, and supports a number of campaigns addressing racism, violence against women, and discrimination against LGBTIQ students and staff. 39
“Our purpose is to enable success for all of Deakin’s students and staff. Our primary goal is to ensure that all students and staff feel welcomed, safe and supported throughout their journey with Deakin, no matter their gender, culture or ability.” Mel Martinelli, Director of Equity and Diversity To achieve this aim, groups within the division focus on different areas of equity and diversity across the University. Access and Equity Partnerships, led by Jane Finlay, works with the School of Education, external organisations and local communities to create opportunities for disadvantaged students to attend university and to promote a culture of academic learning. “The impetus behind these specific access and equity initiatives is the recognition that particular groups of people have experienced, and continue to experience, historical and systematic disadvantage that precludes them from enjoying the benefits of study or employment in the higher education sector,” Ms Finlay said. As well as working to inspire secondary school students to undertake further studies, Equity and Diversity also has a range of programs to support tertiary students from low socio-economic status backgrounds to complete undergraduate degrees. The evidence-based program of initiatives is funded by the Commonwealth Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) and delivered by Equity and Diversity Programs, managed by Lyn Edwards. “In addition, Equity and Diversity Programs also facilitates practices, policies and networks to ensure a fair and inclusive university environment,” Ms Edwards said. “We respect, value and actively pursue the benefits of equity across the University, as well as cultural, linguistic and sexual diversity.” Managed by Merrin McCracken, the Access and Inclusion team supports the whole of Deakin at a policy, community and individual level to facilitate inclusive teaching and learning, and digital
accessibility. Disability Resource Centres on each campus employ Disability Liaison Officers to help students and staff with a disability, health or mental health condition to participate in university life. ‘The DRCs support around 2000 students with disability and Deakin provides terrific support to individual students. Access and Inclusion also focuses on working with the whole University to provide an increasingly accessible, flexible and inclusive environment
STEMMING THE FLOW Women comprise more than half of science PhD graduates and early career researchers, but only 17 per cent of senior academics in Australian universities and research institutes. In an effort to staunch the flow of female talent from academia, Deakin is one of 40 universities and organisations participating in Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE), a program to improve gender equity and diversity in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM). Led by Equity and Diversity’s Gender Equity team, Human Resources Division and Deakin Research, the SAGE pilot aims to improve the opportunities and increase retention of Australian female scientists through the adoption of the Athena SWAN Charter, an evidence-based accreditation and improvement program for higher education and research organisations that focuses on promoting diversity and addressing gender and other forms of inequality in STEMM. Established in 2005 in the UK, the Athena SWAN Awards Program requires participating institutions to accept ten charter principles, as well as collect and analyse data, develop and implement action plans, and monitor progress.
and experience so that fewer individual supports are needed. As we get this right for students with disability, we are a long way towards getting it right for everyone.” Merrin McCracken
“Athena SWAN takes a different approach to past equity initiatives,” Dr Bree GormanHolz, Manager Gender Equality, explained. “It focuses on data collection and understanding the issues within a given organisation. For example, it’s not just about acknowledging that you have a gender pay gap, but understanding the factors that contribute to the gap. This allows organisations to have very targeted programs and policies to mediate their most critical problems. “A lot of the work involved in the program will come down to identifying unconscious bias against particular groups of people. It won’t necessarily eliminate the bias, but it will help people understand how unconscious bias occurs so they can take action to prevent it. “It addresses multiple disadvantage factors and enables people to be the best they can be.” Deakin’s participation in the SAGE pilot began in September 2016. Implementation of the program will drive the University’s Gender Equity Strategy as the collected data highlights areas where action is needed. “The good thing about implementing the Athena SWAN program is that it will benefit Deakin as a whole, not only women,” Dr Gorman-Holz said. “UK research has found that Athena SWAN initiatives increase research success and staff satisfaction across participating organisations.” 40
WOMEN WITH IMPACT FROM DISCOVERING THAT THE INCIDENCE OF OSTEOPOROSIS AND OSTEOPENIA, A POTENTIAL PRECURSOR TO OSTEOPOROSIS, IN AUSTRALIANS WAS FAR HIGHER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT, TO THE CREATION OF AN ENTIRELY NEW FIELD OF STUDY IN MENTAL HEALTH, THE CENTRE FOR INNOVATION IN MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND CLINICAL TREATMENT’S (IMPACT) RESEARCHERS ARE HAVING A MEASURABLE EFFECT ON THE HEALTH OF LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES.
Based at Barwon Health, at the centre of Geelong’s clinical health precinct, IMPACT’s 35 researchers and students, 28 of whom are women, take an integrated approach to their research, according to Deputy Director Professor Julie Pasco. “We cover the epidemiological and clinical side of health research and work closely with Deakin’s Metabolic Research Unit for our laboratorybased studies and with the Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics to analyse information from hospital databases,” Professor Pasco said. “We’re also involved in policy development, helping to translate research into practice through the development of research-informed guidelines and recommendations.” Professor Pasco said Deakin’s longstanding collaboration with the University Hospital Geelong (Barwon Health) has been critical to IMPACT’s clinical studies.
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From left: Associate Professor Lana Williams, Dr Kara Holloway, Professor Felice Jacka, Ms Natalie Hyde, Professor Julie Pasco
disease. At the heart of the Centre is the Geelong Osteoporosis Study (GOS), a unique longitudinal population study originally established to investigate the pattern of osteoporosis in the general population and to identify risk factors for fracture.
“A great advantage of being based at Barwon Health is our proximity to the hospital. It’s a vital research-clinical practice interface,” she said.
One of IMPACT’s most far-reaching and collaborative projects, the GOS has collected data over more than two decades. GOS data and subjects have contributed to many IMPACT projects in local and international studies on a range of health conditions from musculoskeletal disorders, obesity and diabetes, to mental health.
Professor Pasco also directs the Epi-Centre for Healthy Ageing, a research centre within IMPACT that identifies early warning signs for chronic
The GOS study began in the mid-1990s with 1500 women selected randomly from local electoral rolls. A male cohort was recruited from 2001.
The same groups of men and women are recalled every two or five years to undergo bone density tests and other clinical examinations. Of the many positive outcomes of this research, Professor Pasco and her GOS team revealed that low vitamin D levels were common in the general population during winter-time, even in our temperate climate. The team also discovered that beta-blockers, a class of medications used to treat cardiac arrhythmias and hypertension, reduce the risk of fracture partly by increasing bone density, thereby supporting data from animal models that bone metabolism is modulated by the adrenergic nervous system. These findings identified targets for medication and lifestyle interventions to improve population health and wellbeing.
Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Kara Holloway, working with Professor Pasco’s team and international collaborators, is trialling a new portable device for assessing how well bone can resist the spread of micro-cracks. The GOS is the first study in the world to use this technology in a large population-based cohort to determine the device’s clinical utility for identifying patients at risk for fracture. “GOS has grown into a huge platform for many interconnected research topics,” Dr Holloway explained. “Working on a study of this size for such a length of time is a wonderful opportunity to witness how patterns of disease change through the years, to work on a range of projects with
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different collaborators and to see how the involvement of talented students can broaden the utility of the data.” IMPACT Associate Professor Lana Williams and Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Brisa Fernandes made use of GOS data in their breakthrough discovery that a common blood pressure drug has the potential to improve mood disorders such as bipolar disorder and major depression. The team was amongst the first in the world to find that Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitors, or ACE inhibitors, typically used to treat hypertension, had the unexpected benefit of substantially preventing the onset of depression in the general population. If replicated by followup research, this finding could offer relief for thousands of people around the world for whom current treatments, such as antidepressants, are ineffective.
For Professor Jacka and her team at the Food and Mood Centre, the ultimate aim is to develop evidence-based public health messages for the primary prevention of common mental health disorders, and new, nutrition-focused treatment strategies to improve mental health. Their work has already provided proof that improving diet quality can treat major depression, indicating the benefits of adding clinical dietitians to mental health care teams and making dietitian support available to those experiencing depression. This trial (SMILES) made headlines across the world.
Twenty-first century research relies on collaboration within and between research centres in Australia and overseas to achieve beneficial outcomes. Over the past decade, social media has begun to play a large role in facilitating this exchange of knowledge. “Researchers are increasingly aware of the need to share their success through social media because they recognise their research outcomes and publications are now considered much more broadly. Not only does it involve traditional metrics of publications and grants, but it is also demonstrated by how much attention their work has attracted in the media and how often it is talked about online.”
Another area of study involving global collaboration is the work undertaken by Professor Felice Jacka and her team at the Food and Mood Centre, another research centre within IMPACT. Professor Jacka, who is founder and president of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research, pioneered research into how diet and other lifestyle factors interact with an individual’s risk for mental health problems. Her relatively new, highly multidisciplinary field of nutritional psychiatry found its roots in data generated by the GOS and the field is now rapidly developing, attracting researchers in nutrition, mental health, population health and epidemiology from around the world.
SOCIAL MEDIA AIDS KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
Professor Julie Pasco
“These are important new metrics on the academic scene and the ease of global networking facilitated by social media is all part of this. It’s useful not just for sharing ideas, but for stimulating new ideas and comparing and contrasting results from different studies.” “The imperative for such a new approach to the global burden of mental disorders is clear and urgent. This critical new understanding that diet is relevant to mental health now underpins a new way of conceptualising and approaching mental disorder prevention and treatment.” Professor Felice Jacka
The growth of social media is not the only thing that has changed in academia during Professor Pasco’s career. “While navigating a pathway through academia and health research has always been, and continues to be, a challenge for women researchers, there is now an
awareness of a greater need to understand issues faced by women in particular,” she said. “Today, as barriers to career progression are being recognised and managed, women in leadership roles are more readily accepted, and the proven success of women in senior roles paves the way for other women to follow.” Professor Pasco said IMPACT’s training and research program was enriched by postgraduate students and early career researchers, who were encouraged to work closely with academic staff to develop sound research practices and extend their expertise. “Fifteen of our sixteen current PhD students, all three honours students and four of our five early career researchers are women. They have a passion for expanding their knowledge and skills and they bring fresh ideas and techniques to our work of developing practical solutions to the health issues affecting our community,” Professor Pasco said. “That’s why it’s so important for those of us in senior roles to work tirelessly to provide opportunities and experiences that inspire them to become tomorrow’s research leaders.”
Dr Brisa Fernandes
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REDI Director Professor Julianne Moss observes that new understanding about how individuals learn, combined with the opportunities offered by digital learning, has seen the education research knowledge base expand exponentially over the past decade. Ensuring that this knowledge is translated into practice and that the REDI group asks the big questions of educational research underpins all REDI’s activities. “Our hallmark is distinctive; REDI is all about high quality research that generates new knowledge and conducting ‘research for education,’ rather than ‘research on education,’” she said.
Professor Julianne Moss
GENERATION REDI FOR A DIFFERENT FUTURE IT HAS BEEN PREDICTED THAT 65 PER CENT OF JOBS THAT PRIMARY STUDENTS WILL PERFORM WHEN THEY ENTER THE WORKFORCE DON’T EXIST YET. WITH DIGITISATION AND OTHER FORCES CAUSING SUCH RAPID CHANGE, PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION FOR THEIR FUTURES HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT. LED BY A TEAM OF FIVE INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS, THE STAFF AND POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS AT DEAKIN’S RESEARCH FOR EDUCATIONAL IMPACT (REDI) STRATEGIC RESEARCH CENTRE ARE INFLUENCING EDUCATION RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE, FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD TO TERTIARY LEVELS, ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND BEYOND.
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“The test for REDI is to remain committed to a clear program of research that is underpinned by strong equity principles, with an emphasis on finding ways to support all learners, including those on the margins, who may have different cultural backgrounds, disabilities or high learning needs. Professor Julianne Moss “Today, we are lucky to have the opportunities of a digital environment, but it is critical that we have a social justice approach and look to equity principles. It is very satisfying that REDI is addressing these challenges and influencing policy that will affect our nation in the future.” REDI received international recognition in the 2015 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) ratings, with Deakin gaining a score of 4 out of 5 for Education (above world standard). Women make up 80 per cent of REDI’s members and, with three of four research streams led by women, REDI is a great example of successful female leadership and collaboration. The four world-class scholars who lead REDI’s distinctive programs are central to shaping its research agenda, with each stream addressing critical contemporary education issues. Professor Amanda Keddie, who leads the stream “Children, Young People and their Communities,” emphasised that collaboration is fundamental to REDI’s activities. This encompasses strong teamwork between the 44 REDI researchers from disciplines across the University, and consultation with the many external stakeholders, such as government departments and professional bodies, advocacy groups, international scholars, kindergartens, schools and universities.
“For all of us, this requires a heavy time commitment, but we know the benefits of longterm relationships with the community, educators and all stakeholders, so engagement and communication with our stakeholders is integral to everything we do,” Professor Keddie said. Professor Catherine Beavis returned to Deakin from Griffith University in 2016 to lead the “Curriculum, Assessment, Pedagogy and Digital Learning” stream. She brings an outstanding track record to her research, with two ARC Discovery and two ARC Linkage grants, focussing on identifying the best ways for Australian students to develop 21st century digital literacy skills. “I have been working closely with the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and many other professional and curriculum-related groups,” said Professor Beavis. “We know that this is how you achieve change and build understanding. You do it by sitting around a table and talking to people.” Alfred Deakin Professor Jill Blackmore AM leads the “Education Policy and Governance” stream. Professor Blackmore was made a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2017 Australia Day awards, in recognition of her “significant service to education as an academic and administrator, to social justice and equity, and to policy reform.” Over the past 20 years she has prioritised research mentorships, building teams and innovative thinking in education research, and she has been very active in service contribution, particularly as former President of the Australian Association of Research in Education. “Through the lens of leadership, I have considered educational restructuring and governance in higher education, technical education and schools, and what that means for teachers’ and academic work and equity,” she said. “This work has informed rethinking of professional and institutional autonomy, responsibility and accountability.” Alfred Deakin Professor Russell Tytler leads the “Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education” stream. He and his team have been leading innovation in science and mathematics education through research and partnership programs in STEM that focus on the 46
fundamentals of student learning and teacher learning processes, currently with a strong focus on disadvantaged schools. Their emphasis on student generated representations foregrounds imagination in the science and mathematics learning process. “There is a critical need to research the nature of identity work in the STEM disciplines that is so central to gendered responses to these subjects, and to develop inclusive pedagogies and broader policy that address stereotypes in the physical sciences and engineering in particular.” Alfred Deakin Professor Russell Tytler A number of other REDI researchers are focussing their efforts on improving educational opportunities for girls and women. Dr Linda Hobbs is researching ways to encourage women to study STEM subjects. She is working with teachers to create engaging STEM learning opportunities and foster aspirations to follow STEM career pathways. Associate Professor Deb Ollis specialises in understanding the role of sexuality in education and whole school approaches to gender equity in the prevention of violence against women and girls, and has established many critical national and local partnerships.
on educational governance and policy. Associate Professor Tran, who is supported through a prestigious ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA), is investigating student mobility and internationalisation of teaching and learning, to prepare students for an increasingly interconnected and globalised world. Dr Gorur is examining the work of global policy networks and education policies and practices in middleand low-income nations to develop sustainable accountability practices. The women at the helm of REDI and their many male and female colleagues bring a vast range of experience and knowledge to their research. One of the attributes they share is an understanding that it is through strong partnerships and collaboration that they will be most likely to help young people of all backgrounds and abilities be ready for their futures.
EXPANDING CHOICES FOR RURAL WOMEN TEACHERS Teaching jobs are highly competitive in Melbourne and major cities, but in rural, regional and remote areas positions are harder to fill. They require a particular set of skills, if teachers are to make a successful transition to a new community – and remain for the long-term. REDI researcher Associate Professor Bernadette Walker-Gibbs works with student teachers, most of whom are women, at Deakin’s Warrnambool campus, and schools and communities across South West Victoria, in order to support these transitions. She also has students from Deakin’s other campuses and, through Cloud Deakin, supports students from Tasmania, ACT, NT, and WA. An established leader in the field of rural education and pedagogy, Associate Professor Walker-Gibbs has an international reputation in research for her leadership of large scale, longitudinal studies in teacher
Associate Professor Ly Tran and Dr Radhika Gorur work with cross-national networks in Asia, Europe and the US to engage in research
education, and for international comparative studies in rural education. She has been Chief Investigator in longitudinal projects such as the ARC Linkage “Studying the Effectiveness of Teacher Education” and the “Teacher Education and Workforce Study,” developed by Deakin for the Commonwealth Department of Education. Having grown up in Mackay, Queensland, where there were few jobs or choices for women, she is passionate about broadening options for rural women and men. “I am helping to ensure student teachers have a quality education and access to choice and opportunities,” she said. “It is very important that new teachers are familiar with the context of the communities they are going into, so they understand their students’ backgrounds – and that the teachers themselves are confident in their abilities to transition to a new community. “We also work with community groups, councils, schools and businesses, to ensure they understand their role in creating cultural communities that welcome and support new teachers.”
THE FOUR RESEARCH STREAMS AT REDI:
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CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES
CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT, PEDAGOGY AND DIGITAL LEARNING
EDUCATION POLICY AND GOVERNANCE
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
Associate Professor Bernadette Walker-Gibbs
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SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF FUTURE GENERATIONS? IT’S A REAL-LIFE QUESTION THAT DEMANDS RESEARCH WITH PRACTICAL, REAL-LIFE OUTCOMES. AT THE CENTRE FOR SOCIAL AND EARLY EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT (SEED), MORE THAN 50 RESEARCHERS, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE WOMEN, ARE WORKING ON RESEARCH THAT DELIVERS PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. 49
SEED’s researchers work within four themes: Lifecourse and Surveillance Sciences, Intervention Sciences, Interpersonal Neuroscience, and Translation Sciences. Each theme focuses on different aspects of promoting health and wellbeing from conception through childhood to adulthood, investigating the most effective approaches to promoting wellness and intervening at the earliest opportunities in troubled pathways. As many of the issues it addresses are global, SEED collaborates across Deakin, Australia and the world, with partners ranging from local institutes, hospitals and schools to clinics and universities in the UK, USA, India, Canada and New Zealand. However, the most important collaboration of all is with the real world, according to SEED’s Translation Sciences platform leader and Director of Research and Research Training in the School of Psychology, Professor Helen Skouteris.
“We might be masters of theory, models and concepts, but our research results have to work beyond the walls of academia,” she said. “The answer is to partner with end users from the very beginning to understand what problems they need solutions for, so that the research can be designed to address real-world issues from its conception.”
want to understand how end users have informed the research. If you don’t have these conversations at the coalface before you start the project, you risk the significance and impact of the results.” Professor Helen Skouteris
Professor Skouteris and her colleagues in Translation Sciences work to translate SEED outputs into health, education and community systems, policy and practice, emphasising collaborative stakeholder engagement throughout. “I think we’re doing a good job of making people think first about the issues that need addressing and co-designing research projects with stakeholders. “It’s increasingly important when it comes to funding as well; funding bodies really 50
The Translation Science team’s work includes creating a web portal to provide a high-quality, graphical user interface on the major gamechangers in early emotional life, coupled with effective intervention responses for parents, teachers, health professionals, practitioners, researchers and policy makers. Two of Professor Skouteris’ PhD students are also developing educational resources and toolkits to support early childhood educators to foster positive parent-child relationships and social and emotional development in preschool children. One of the best known and longest collaborations between SEED and an industry partner is the influential Australian Unity Wellbeing Index Survey. Established in 2000 as a joint project between SEED’s Australian Centre on Quality of Life (ACQL) and the private healthcare fund, the Index provides regular snapshots of how Australians are faring across class, gender, marital status and racial backgrounds. Last year, SEED researchers led by Dr Delyse Hutchinson began developing a new version of the Index as a national tool to measure the wellbeing of Australian children. Dr Hutchinson, who co-leads SEED’s Lifecourse and Surveillance platform with Dr Emma Sciberras and Dr Jacqui Macdonald, said the new Index would identify “at risk” children at the most crucial time in their development and provide missing pieces of the information puzzle. Like the adult Index, the new Index could play a significant role in guiding policy development and allocation of government resources, as well as provide national data that researchers can use to determine the most needed types of intervention. SEED’s Deakin Child Study Centre, established by Professor Nicole Rinehart to create a new platform in the community for researchers and industry to make a real difference in the lives of children with developmental challenges, has also developed a national, high profile partnership to deliver the ALLPlay program.
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In collaboration with the AFL, Moose Toys, the NDIA, the University of Melbourne, University of Western Australia and Charles Darwin University, Prof Rinehart and her team will contribute to the AFL Disability Action plan to remove barriers to inclusion in sport and gather evidence of how, and why, being involved in sport is important for all children, regardless of ability.
“That’s the rewarding part of my work. I really like knowing that I’m contributing to a research world that will reveal meaningful, relevant and applicable findings for the greatest positive impact on the health and wellbeing of all Australians.” Professor Helen Skouteris
“This will have an enormous impact on our community, where disability is associated with disadvantage, low expectations, exclusions, obesity, poor school attendance and poor mental health. With the evidence we gather, it’s possible that, in the near future, clinicians will prescribe team sports as a key intervention for children diagnosed with a developmental challenge.” Professor Nicole Rinehart For Professor Skouteris, the work that SEED does to improve health and wellbeing across the lifespan also applies to the researchers she mentors. “I was a junior researcher in 2008, but I achieved promotion rapidly as a result of the excellent support and mentoring I received from senior academics. They helped me to focus strategically on building my capacity as a researcher and their input was so important in helping me shape my career directions,” she said. “I want to do that for our early career researchers because I know it works if you have senior academics who are focusing on your career trajectory and wanting to see you excel. “It really is about building capacity in the next generation of researchers and practitioners, to skill them to prioritise collaboration and engage stakeholders in order to inform how their work might translate into policy and practice.
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FURTHER READING AS PART OF A BROADER GENDER EQUITY STRATEGY, DEAKIN IS PARTICIPATING IN THE SAGE ATHENA SWAN PILOT PROGRAM WHICH SEEKS TO ADDRESS THE INEQUITY EXPERIENCED BY WOMEN IN STEMM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS AND MEDICINE).
For more information follow this link: deakin.edu.au/deakin-women
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deakin.edu.au Published by Deakin University in March 2017. While the information published in this booklet was accurate at the time of publication, Deakin University reserves the right to alter, amend or delete details and other information published here. For the most up-to-date information view our website at deakin.edu.au. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B KP0317
