Dr Lavender Otieno is an ECR Research Fellow in Trauma and Injury at Flinders University’s College of Medicine and Public Health. She leads the MRFF-funded SMART-PH project—Australia’s first integrated public health and clinical data platform—designed to eliminate data siloes and support real-time healthcare decision-making. Dr Otieno holds a BSc, BHMS (Hons), and a PhD in motor performance and neurophysiology from the University of Adelaide. Before joining Flinders, she worked at SAHMRI on public health policy, leading a government-funded initiative to address the rise of nicotine vaping among young Australians.

In 25 words or less, tell us what your research is about.

My research aims to reduce health inequities in culturally and linguistically diverse communities by co-designing early intervention programs to address injury-related disparities.

How do you believe your research will impact patient care or public health outcomes?

By centering culturally diverse perspectives, I hope to support safer, more effective care and create meaningful, lasting outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

What do you enjoy most about being a researcher?

I love having the freedom to be endlessly curious and innovative. Even better, I get to do it alongside an incredible team here at FHMRI Trauma and Injury.

What do you do when you’re not researching?

In true introverted nerd fashion, I’m either deep in a book or biography, hiking, playing piano for hours, or organising creative productions and bringing order to chaos.

What advice would you give to aspiring health and medical researchers?

Don’t be afraid to change your mind. A career isn’t made in a single moment. It’s shaped by a lifetime of choices and chances.