Life is full of surprises.
My first interaction with AusHSI was back in 2012, when I entered (and won) their video competition! The fact they chose my rather quirky lego video did surprise me! Little did I know that less than 7 years later I would join their ranks as a fully-fledged statistician… thanks to being awarded a Strategic Research Fellowship through the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation. These prestigious fellowship positions have several aims, including producing high quality outputs with health/medical impact.
My background includes degrees in medical science, public health, and statistics, and I have worked for over a decade in epidemiological research, first at the University of Queensland, and then at Cancer Council Queensland. My research focus is on using complex modelling techniques to investigate the spatial and spatio-temporal patterns of chronic disease in Queensland and across Australia. Although the majority of my work has been on cancer, I am starting to expand into other chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease also. As such, being located in AusHSI is perfect.
Another surprise was to be awarded as a Superstar of STEM in late 2018. This program is run by Science and Technology Australia and aims to make women in STEM more visible across Australian media. The first year of the program is focused on training, and already I have learnt so much. The second year is focused on visibility, and especially encouraging younger Australians to consider a career in STEM by visiting schools and giving presentations.
I am excited about working with the AusHSI team to help bring health innovation to life!