Flinders University expertise informs Royal Commission into Aged Care and South East groundwater strategy, Poche deputy mixes tourism and health, residency sees a broad approach to sustainable plastics, and Young Achiever finalists.
CFI expertise informs Royal Commission
Professor Julie Ratcliffe, Matthew Flinders Fellow and research lead for the Better Systems and Health and Social Care Economics themes at the Caring Futures Institute, was a witness at the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s February 11 workshop in Adelaide.
Among her many contributions to the session was a recommendation that information about quality of life assessments and the costs and benefits associated with service provision should be routinely collected, and made public.
Poche deputy connects health and tourism
Dr Maree Meredith of Flinders University’s Poche Centre for Indigenous Health has been re-appointed to the NT Government’s Aboriginal Tourism Advisory Committee (ATAC), which advises the Minister for Tourism, Sport, Culture and the Arts on investment for Indigenous priorities in the Territory.
The ATAC has just delivered on the Indigenous Tourism Strategy 2020-2030. The role of ‘culture’ and its place in health outcomes for Aboriginal people on country through tourism and cultural engagement and exchange is central to the approach – also an underlying Poche theme.
Young Achiever finalists
Flinders University Science and Engineering graduates Dr Lauren Meyer and Melanie Fuller have been named as finalists in the Channel 7 News Young Achiever Awards 2020.
The awards have promoted the positive achievements and endeavours of young Australians up to the age of 29 years since 1988, through 12 categories. Nominees are selected by a panel of experts in the respective fields of each category and comprise a mix of government, award partners and community representatives.
Melanie Fuller (PhD in chemistry) is due to graduate this year with a doctorate and has been nominated for the Innovation Award.
Dr Meyer (PhD in biology 2019) has been nominated for the STEM Award.
South Australia’s winners will be announced during a gala presentation at the Hilton Adelaide on 16 May 2020.
Water researchers inform South East strategy
Professor Craig Simmons, Director of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training at Flinders University, chaired an expert panel including colleagues Professor Peter Cook and Professor Andrew Boulton charged to address risks to groundwater resources in the Lower Limestone Coast.
The independent review was initiated by the South East Natural Resources Management (SE NRM) Board, and commissioned through the Goyder Institute.
The outcomes of the review informed recommendations which have resulted in the announcement of a groundwater strategy for the region – read about it here.
Residency lends multi-disciplinary approach to aqua plastics
Professor Wei Zhang and Niki Sperou – artist-in-residence at Flinders University’s Centre for Marine Bio-products Development – have received an Australian Network for Art and Technology residency to experiment with marine derived bio-polymers towards the production of ‘green’ plastic products.
This multi-disciplinary area deals not only with ‘Blue Science’ and ‘Blue Bio-economy’ (‘blue’ as in relating to aquatic resources) but also ‘Blue Humanities.’
Their project ‘Green Plastics: Blue Ocean’, will examine society’s complex love/hate relationship with plastics and the potential for biodegradable marine derived polymers to provide an eco-friendly alternative to regular plastics, in consideration of ethical, environmental and technological challenges.