In a special ceremony which enjoyed global reach, Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Stirling presented his annual awards to celebrate the success of outstanding Higher Degree by Research Students – in person at Bedford Park and via livestreaming to award recipients around the world.
The ceremony, which was attended by about 60 people in the Alere Function Centre, marked the achievements of 19 award recipients, who were announced by the Dean of Graduate Research, Professor Tara Brabazon.
Professor Stirling highlighted the importance of researcher achievements in the past year, saying “Research success is a key priority for this University,” as he underlined the scientific value of research that has provided crucial solutions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Research is fundamentally important to humankind, to the development of our societies and our future. We don’t know what challenges are ahead of us, so our research delivers the necessary toolbox to tackle those challenges.”
Professor Stirling pointed to Flinders University’s success in delivering research of the highest quality, which is attracting increasing support. The University has recording a 42% rise in research funding over the past three years, including a very significant 26% rise in 2020, equating to $68 million in contract and grant wins – the highest result ever in a single year for Flinders University.
“This proves that Flinders competes with the best in the nation, and demonstrates the quality of our researchers,” he said. But Professor Stirling wants Flinders to go further, with an aim to achieve $100 million a year in research funds by 2025 – a feat which would take Flinders into the top 10 universities in Australia and place it among the top 1% of universities in the world.
He noted that this year’s HDR prize winners were contributing to crucial aspects of the University’s flagship research projects, including NHMRC and ARC projects.
HDR Student Research Impact Prizes were awarded to Dr Tamara Crittenden (MPH) and Dr Paul Young (SE), who also received a Vice-Chancellor Prize for Doctoral Thesis Excellence.
Winners of Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Doctoral Thesis Excellence were Dr Max Worthington (SE), Dr John McCarthy (HASS), Dr Omaima Eldeeb (HASS), Dr James McEvoy (MPH), Dr Rhys Aston (BGL), Dr Amirhosein Ramazanpour Esfahani (CSE) and Dr Irena White (EPSW), who received their honours in person.
Prize winners who connected with the ceremony online were Dr Trine Enemark (SE, in Denmark), Dr Thi Nguyen (SE, in Thailand), Dr Enrique Aragon Nunez (HASS, in Victoria) and Dr Eleanor Pratt (SE, in Queensland).
Awards for the best HDR Student publications went to Yuan (Joanne) Zhou (EPSW), Katerina Bryant (HASS), Michael Zabolocki (MPH), Dr Damian Adams (NHS), Mehrdad Aghamohamadi (SE) and Mohsen Chitsaz (SE).
To see the ceremony as it unfolded, click here to watch online.