Flinders alumni impress at Young Achiever Awards

Young Achiever Award winners

 

Flinders University alumni featured heavily among the nominees in South Australia’s 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for 2023, with three taking out their respective categories.

The winners of the various categories – which applaud the leadership, vision, excellence and commitment of young people 30 years of age and under, while highlighting their efforts and success – were announced at the recent Gala Presentation Dinner at the Hilton Adelaide Hotel held on Friday 5 May.

Dr Lauren Jones (BMedSc ’16, BSc(Hons) ’17, PhD(Med) ’22) is a Postdoctoral researcher in the Gut Sensory Systems lab at Flinders University and was named winner of The University of Adelaide STEM Award. Her research demonstrates an interoceptive pathway by which enterochromaffin (EC) cells physically sense food, allowing EC cells to release serotonin and drive healthy gut function and digestion. Lauren was a short-term Research Scholar at the University of Nevada and recently performed experimental work at the University of Copenhagen.

While Lauren could not be present to accept the award due to her post-doctoral position at University College London, we applaud her for her achievement and extend our congratulations to her family who collected the award on her behalf.

Rebekah Reardon (BHlthSc ’18) was announced winner of the Rural Doctors Workforce Agency Rural Health Award. Rebekah is providing ultrasound services in a compassionate and caring manner as a sonographer at Benson Radiology. Working within a team, she helps make ultrasound services accessible to local individuals without the extensive travel. In 2021, she received the Benson Managing Partner Award. During Covid-19, Rebekah provided ultrasound services to the Mount Gambier Hospital Emergency Unit so that local individuals could access acute care under ultrasound.

Lucy Solonsch (BHlthSc(Hons) ’22) took out the Department of Human Services Pride Award. Lucy is advocating for autonomy and leadership opportunities for LGBTQIA+ community members. Lucy has published her honours thesis on gender affirming care policy, which she uses to advocate to national and state bodies like the Public Health Association of Australia and SA Health, and also runs workshops and publishes articles to help clinicians provide better care to LGBTQIA+ people. Lucy works with SHINE SA, Flinders University and Wiley Publishing.

We congratulate all nominees and winners on being recognised for their hard work and the positive achievements made in their chosen fields.

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