Seminar presenters
The Research Skills Seminar and Workshop Series have a range of guest presenters that volunteer their time and expertise towards enriching the series. All presenters bring their experiences with scientific research to ensure our series covers topics that are important and useful to our audience. Registrations to attend the seminars will open in 2025.
Our upcoming 2025 Presenters
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Dr Kenneth LeeSenior Lecturer, Pharmacy Practice, University of Western AustraliaDr Lee is a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice and a clinician. As a clinician, he works in a large medical centre as the in-house pharmacist, as well as in private consultancy, where he primarily delivers comprehensive medication management review services to domiciliary patients. Dr Lee is passionate about integrating practice, research, and teaching. Presenting
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Melanie WrightDirector of Research, South Metropolitan Health ServiceMel has 40 years of healthcare experience and for the past 7 years has led strategic transformation of the research environment in SMHS, achieving significant cultural change, to one where researchers are supported, enabled and empowered to conduct high quality local, state and international research projects. Mel is passionate about project management, research and involving consumers with lived experience in every aspect pf healthcare as equal and active partners, Mel has over 10 years of healthcare project management experience. Mel is also passionate about teaching, coaching and mentoring staff to achieve their very best. Presenting
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Michael DymockBiostatistician, The Kids Research Institute AustraliaMichael is a biostatistician and PhD candidate based at The Kids Research Institute Australia. His research interests involve the use of Bayesian methods in adaptive clinical trials, computational statistics, and novel methods for vaccine safety surveillance. He aims to bridge the gap between clinical research design and decision-making by enhancing research methodology and encouraging statistical literacy and communication. Presenting
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Dr Natalie GilesManager, Research Ethics and Governance, Research Department CAHSNatalie has a background as a researcher prior to moving into research ethics. She initially worked in the field of immunology and later completed a PhD in biomedical science from Murdoch University. She worked as a post-doctoral researcher for the Fiona Wood Foundation, known as the McComb Foundation at the time. Natalie then took on a research ethics role at the University of Notre Dame Australia and later at South Metropolitan Health Service prior to joining CAHS. Presenting
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Medya AhmadianResearch Governance Coordinator, Research Department CAHSWith a background in public health, Medya has been a Research Governance Coordinator at the Child and Adolescent Health Service since 2022. In addition to assisting researchers making quality governance applications, Medya is responsible for reviewing and monitoring research projects across Child and Adolescent Health Service sites. Co-presenting
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Samantha CrawfordResearch Governance Coordinator, Research Department CAHSAs the Research Governance Coordinator at the Child and Adolescent Health Service, Samantha is part of the team responsible for reviewing, approving and monitoring Research projects that happen at a CAHS site which include Perth Childrens Hospital, Community Health, Mental Health and Neonatology. Samantha offers researchers specialised support services to assist in the development, governance and implementation of effective research across the health service. Co-presenting
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A/Prof Tony KempSchool of Earth Sciences, University of Western AustraliaTony completed his PhD at the Australian National University in Canberra, and held research positions in the UK, Japan and the USA, before relocating to UWA in 2011 as an ARC Future Fellow. He has > 120 peer reviewed publications, including first authored papers in Nature and Science, is an expert assessor for a number of national research funding bodies (including ARC, NERC, NSF) and serves as Associate Editor for two international journals. Presenting
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Dr Charlie McLeodPaediatric Infectious Diseases Clinician Researcher, Research Fellow, Raine Fellow,
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Prof Sonya GirdlerProfessor of Occupational Therapy and Director of the Curtin Autism Research Group (CARG)
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A/Prof Natalie StrobelAssociate Dean (Research), Maladjiny Research Centre, Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan UniversityNatalie is a Senior Research Fellow employed as the team leader on the evidence synthesis stream for the Centre for Improving Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families (ISAC) at the Edith Cowan University. She has been working in health services research and epidemiology to improve service delivery to children, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Dr Strobel has been consulting with WHO on various neonatal guidelines including for preterm and low birth weight infants. Her work has had a strong focus on ensuring projects delivered are needs based and inform policy and practice. Presenting
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Dr Lorna DavinSenior Lecturer Medical Education, University of Notre Dame AustraliaLorna is an experienced educator, facilitator, and researcher, in the area of emotional well-being. She has worked in the health and education sectors for the last 30 years. Lorna is a qualitative researcher who uses stories as the basis of her research. Her areas of interest are compassion and self-compassion, our values and beliefs, the stories we tell ourselves, and the way they shape our lives. She is a regular presenter at state and national conferences, has contributed a range of publications to the field, and supervises and mentors students undertaking research in health professional education. Her emphasis is to use education as a mechanism to enhance care for the vulnerable. She currently ‘teaches’ into the SoMs professional development program, and is reviewing aspects of the curriculum to reflect contemporary society, including gender diversity and inclusion. Presenting
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Prof Fenella GillAcute Paediatric Nursing, Perth Children's Hospital and Curtin UniversityFenella was an NHMRC Translating Research into Practice Fellow for post-doctoral research on partnering with parents in the care of their deteriorating child in hospital. She has undertaken training in implementation science in Canada and Australia and has held two further Implementation Science Fellowships. Fenella led the development of an evidence based paediatric early warning system The ESCALATION System has been implemented throughout all WA hospitals where children are cared for, and the pre-hospital emergency response services of St John Ambulance WA and RFDS. Fenella leads nursing research at CAHS and her research program Safer care for children in hospital is focused on further optimising the ESCALATION System. Presenting
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Dr Tamika HeidenFounder and Principal, Research Impact Academy, VictoriaThe Research Impact Academy is a consulting service supporting researchers since 2014. Coming from a background in health and medical research, Tamika now helps researchers, research organisations, funding bodies, government agencies, and industry organisations to create, capture, evaluate and communicate research impact. Since 2018, Tamika has worked with over 600 researchers to perfect their NHMRC impact statements for the Investigator Grants. To date, she has supported researchers in securing more than $100 Million in research funding, with her clients enjoying an average success rate of 30%. Tamika also hosts the annual Research Impact Summit, the first global online and free conference dedicated to research impact. Presenting |
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Dr Tegan McNabGrants & Research Development Manager, The Kids Research Institute AustraliaTegan undertook her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Murdoch University. She managed the Western Australian DNA Bank (an NHMRC Enabling Resource) for a number of years before moving into research development roles at both The University of Western Australia and Curtin University. Tegan joined The Kids Research Institute Australia in early 2019. Tegan has a particular interest in supporting researchers to secure research funding. She is responsible for the Institute's grants research operations. Presenting
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Cheryl BridgeHead, Kulunga Aboriginal Unit, The Kids Research Institute AustraliaCheryl Bridge is a proud Gija woman and the Head of Kulunga Aboriginal Unit at The Kids Research Institute Australia (The Kids). Cheryl plays a senior role in the full integration of Aboriginal health & wellbeing research as a core focus of The Kids. Cheryl leads her team in providing support to research teams, cultural awareness and Aboriginal Standards training. Building responsiveness and understanding of The Kids research involving Aboriginal communities across the nation. She has been at the Institute since 2020. Prior to that she had a long standing 24-year career in the public sector in Vocational training. Co-presenting
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Dr Timothy BarnettHead, Strep A Pathogenesis and Diagnostics Team, The Kids Research Institute Australia
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Our 2024 Presenters |
- some seminar recordings are still available to watch via the links below |
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Dr Giulia PeacockResearch Fellow, CAHS Research Education ProgramGiulia graduated medical school from the University of Notre Dame Fremantle in 2014. She supplements her clinical work as an Advanced Paediatric Trainee by conducting and publishing research in paediatric cardiology and through active involvement in medical education. She is currently completing her Masters in Clinical Science, Child Health Research at the University of Western Australia. She hopes to ensure easy accessibility to research education and support, to create best outcomes for all patients. Presented
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Dr Amy PageSenior Lecturer, School of Allied Health, University of Western AustraliaDr Amy Page is a registered pharmacist and qualified biostatistician. Her vision is to reduce medicines-related harm while balancing symptom control to align with individualised treatment goals for older people to improve well-being. She undertakes knowledge creation and translation through implementation, practitioner development, communication and media, engagement with professional bodies and policy for sustained impact on pharmacy practice. Presented
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Alexandra RobertsonDirector of Research Operations, Child and Adolescent Health ServiceAli has joined CAHS from The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), Melbourne where she was the Director of Research Operations. She has a wealth of experience in health service management, research governance and operations at tertiary academic hospitals, both paediatric and adult. Ali worked across RCH and with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute to strengthen the partnership, implement systems and processes to streamline research governance and ethics. Her primary focus was to support clinicians of all disciplines to conduct research by breaking down barriers and developing enablers. Presented
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Mark WoodmanManager Research Department East Metropolitan Health Service
Mark has worked in research ethics and governance since 2008 and has managed the EMHS Research Hub since 2019. He takes a supportive and faciliatory approach to research governance, aiming to help clinical researchers and partners navigate regulatory requirements in as painlessly and productively as possible. With EMHS having strong ED and ICU research teams, the service has enrolled more than 200 patients in research under the Guardianship Act Part 9E and Mark has led operationalising the Act and training and support researchers in its use. Co-presented
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Prof Daniel FatovichEmergency Physician, Director of Research East Metropolitan Health Service
As Director of Research for East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS), Prof Fatovich provides strategic advice and leadership. He is a Board Member of the Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation and Chair of the EMHS Research Advisory Committee. He is an executive member of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) Research Committee and the Clinical Trials Network and has received $26m in competitive grant funding. In 2020 and 2023, he was Ministerial adviser for the passage of the Guardianship and Administration (Medical Research) Act Western Australia. In 2017-18, he was deputy chair of the WA Methamphetamine Taskforce. Expertscape ranks him in the top <1% globally for expertise in Emergency Medicine. He loves to challenge doctors to think, and to think differently. Co-presented
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Peta O'SullivanCommunications Coordinator, CAHS Research DepartmentPeta’s early working life was as a journalist, working in print media and writing both news and feature articles, before eventually moving into sub-editing. Peta has been with the WA Health System for over a decade, working in communications. While at the Department of Health Peta has had the opportunity to work on stories promoting WA research, which she has really enjoyed. Presented
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Dr Jessica BuckSenior Research Fellow, The Kids Research Institute AustraliaDr Jessica Buck is a Kamilaroi woman and an early career researcher with a background in neuroscience, imaging, and laboratory cancer research. She is using her skills in cancer research to start a new research program aiming to close the gap in childhood cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids. Dr Buck is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the WA Kids Cancer Centre at The Kids Research Institute Australia. Co-presented
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Elizabeth WilkesAboriginal Community Engagement Coordinator, The Kids Research Institute AustraliaElizabeth Wilkes is a Wadjuk/Ballardong Nyoongar Woman employed as the Childhood Cancer, Aboriginal Community Engagement Coordinator with The Kids Institute Australia. Co-presented
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Lindsay RoweInnovation Manager, CAHS
Lindsay Rowe is the Manager Innovation at Child and Adolescent Health Service and has extensive public sector experience in innovation, project management, and spatial science over the last 18 years, including previous roles as Innovation Manager at East Metropolitan Health Service and Innovation Consultant at Landgate over the last 6 years. Presented
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Our previous presenters |
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Dr Jane Mugure GithaeResearch Fellow, CAHS Research Education ProgramMugure joins us from Kenya where she practiced as a General Surgeon & Honorary Lecturer in General Surgery. She has experience in clinical research, clinical audits and medical education. She is keen to simplify the process of integrating day-to-day clinical work with research. Presented
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Prof Peter RichmondHead of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia
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Belinda FrankSenior Community Engagement Manager, The Kids Research Institute Australia
Belinda is the Senior Community Engagement Manager at The Kids Research Institute Australia. She started her consumer advocacy work in 2002, originally as a board member and then state manager for a not for profit organisation. In 2016 she started work at The Kids Research Institute Australia as the Consumer Advocate then moving into the Development Team with the establishment of the Consumer and Community Health Research Network. Belinda currently serves on state and national research committees. Presented |
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Ashley SchoofCommercialisation Officer, The Kids Research Institute AustraliaAs the Commercialisation Officer at The Kids Research Institute Australia, Ashley is responsible for the identification, protection and commercialisation of Intellectual Property at The Kids Research Institute Australia to support the development of new discoveries, preventions and cures. Co-presented |
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Dr Helga MikkelsenInvestment Analyst, Brandon BioCatalystHelga Mikkelsen is a WA-based Investment Analyst at Brandon Capital, which manages Australia and New Zealand’s largest large life science investment fund, Brandon BioCatalyst. Following degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Helga completed her PhD in microbiology at the University of Cambridge and postdoctoral research in bacterial genetics at Imperial College London. She has since worked with medical innovation and has managed development of devices and drug treatments in the UK and Australia. Helga is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Director and co-founder of Respirion Pharmaceuticals, which develops an inhaled treatment for chronic lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. Co-presented |