As the staff community settles into a new year, the Flinders in Touch team welcomes back returning employees and newcomers to the University, including several new Deans who are taking up their positions across Flinders this month.

Medicine and Public Health

Dr Jayanthi Jayakaran, Dean (People and Resources) in the College of Medicine and Public Health, commenced her role this week.

A medical doctor with fellowships in medical administration and broad experience in education and training, clinical practice, public health, policy formulating and advocacy, Dr Jayakaran has worked in specialty training sectors in Australia and overseas.

Most recently, she held a senior leadership position in the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network and SA health, as executive director of medical services. This will be her first role in the university sector.

 

 

Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Associate Professor Penny Edmonds joins the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences as Dean (Research) and Matthew Flinders Fellow.

An award-winning researcher, her focus areas include empire and colonialism, Indigenous and settler histories, humanitarianism, transnational Australian and Pacific-region histories, performance, gender, and heritage.

Associate Professor Edmonds joins Flinders from the University of Tasmania, she previously worked at the University of Melbourne and has earlier experience in the history and museum sector. She seeks to lead strategic and collaborative translational research, making connections across disciplines for maximum impact and engagement.

 

Education, Psychology and Social Work

 

 

Professor Mary Katsikitis is commencing as Dean (People & Resources) for the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work. Professor Katsikitis is a leader in psychology and was introduced in Flinders in Touch last year. She joins fellow newcomer to the college, Dean (Education) Professor Debra Bateman, who took up her position in November last year.