We introduce a new elected female staff representative for Equal Opportunity and Diversity, recognise an innovative online surgery teaching course, applaud a research three-minute thesis prize winner, and acknowledge international research funding.
New female University staff representative
Associate Professor Anna Ziersch has been elected by the female staff of the University to represent female staff on the Equal Opportunity and Diversity Committee for a two-year term. The Committee has been established to provide advice to the Vice-Chancellor on major policy matters and new initiatives in the areas of equal opportunity, affirmative action, student access and equity, diversity and inclusiveness. It receives reports in relation to contacts to Equal Opportunity Contact Officers, Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace accreditation, Workplace Gender Equality Act reporting and activities under the university’s Athena SWAN Action Plan.
Flinders hosts live sinus surgery online teaching course
In COVID-times, traditional surgical teaching courses have cleverly adapted to the loss of air travel – and on 13 March, Professor Simon Carney from Flinders taught 630 international ENT surgeons in an on-line course, performed in collaboration with UNSW and Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. The course was coordinated by Asia Pacific Otolaryngology Surgical Training, a not-for-profit organisation which provides free or subsidised training to surgeons from the poorer countries in the Asia Pacific Region. “To have over 600 surgeons dial in on-line was absolutely amazing,” said Professor Carney. “While COVID has stopped us being able to travel to teach all students in their own countries, technology allows them to watch us operate in a virtual environment.”
Reem wins Saudi Research Idol Prize
Business PhD student Reem Alothmany won the third place prize in the Saudi Research Idol 2021 competition, which is a three-minute thesis competition that was presented by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in Canberra last week. Reem – whose PhD thesis is titled: “A cultural investigation on the impact of HPWS implementation on employee outcomes in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare” – is pictured receiving her award with the sponsor of the Saudi Research Idol 2021 competition (the University of Technology Sydney, represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice President- International, Iain Watt) and the Saudi Cultural Attaché in Australia, Dr Hesham Khadawardi.
Flinders experts to aid marginalised young women in Sri Lanka
Associate Prof Udoy Saikia has received a $20,000 external research grant from Kodai Griihini Programme to assess the wellbeing impact of women’s education program on marginalised young women, specially from Dalit and tribal communities and Tamil Sri Lankan Repatriates (formally bonded labourers) in the Palni Hills, South India. Emeritus Professor Janice Orrell from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, who has been associated with the program for many years, will provide mentorship for this research. Kodai Griihini Programme has been operating in India since 1987, first as a non-formal education program and now as an accredited community college. This research will further strengthen and expand evidence-based policy research on wellbeing and promote Flinders University’s team of researchers’ innovative work on “human wellbeing index” which has received global attention through the United Nations. Read more>