NT News Women of the Year
Professor Jaquelyne Hughes has been named as a finalist in the inaugural NT News Women of the Year awards. Professor Hughes was one of 27 finalists who work, volunteer and live in regions right across the Territory from Darwin to Arnhem Land and the Red Centre, and have been recognised for going above and beyond to make the Northern Territory community a better place.
Professor Hughes, a Gumugul Woman of Wagadagam tribe, Mabuiag Island in Torres Strait, has been living on Larrakia country for many years now and has had a lasting impact on the Territory community. Along with being Australia’s first Indigenous nephrologist, she was the inaugural Clinical Research Professor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Advancement and Matthew Flinders Professor (Medical Education) at Flinders University in the NT.
All finalists in each category go into a ‘People’s Choice’ award – voted by ntnews.com.au readers – and the top honour of ‘Woman of the Year’. You can vote for Professor Hughes in the ‘People’s Choice’ award here.
Geographer earns international distinction
Matthew Flinders Distinguished Emeritus Professor Iain Hay was last week advised by the International Geographical Union (IGU) advising that he had been awarded its prestigious 2024 IGU Laureat d’honneur, in international recognition for his “service to the geography discipline at the international, national and local scales”. The award – arguably one of the most esteemed in international Geography – will be presented in Dublin, Ireland on Friday 30 August. “I am especially tickled by the description of me ‘an accomplished influencer and knowledge provocateur whose impacts on Geography over more than three decades have been innovative, cumulative and far-reaching internationally’,” says Professor Hay, who is also inaugural Director of the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia (RGSSA) and Chair of the Australian Academy of Science’s National Committee for Geographical Sciences.
Researcher provides more than a cure
Dr Kristie Stefanoska, a researcher at FHMRI/CMPH, was featured in the Dementia Australia 25 years of Impact report, identified as one of the trailblazing women who are redefining innovation. The item explained her work as deputy lead of the Molecular Dementiaa and Memory Research Laboratory at Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, and she talked about how her lived experience with dementia – caring for grandfather after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease – had such an important influence on her research career. “I decided to become a neuroscientist in the hope that I could learn about the causes of dementia and contribute to potentially identifying biomarkers or therapeutic interventions,” says Dr Stefanoska. “I volunteered at Prince of Wales Hospital in the dementia ward, where I got to meet people and learn about their experiences. It taught me that it is so important to promote what people can do and provide support where they may need it.”
Early evidence of pottery
Dr John McCarthy, from Flinders University’s Maritime Archaeology Program, is a co-author on a new paper describing the discovery of the earliest evidence for pottery manufacture in Australia and of seafaring contact between Aboriginal and Lapita people over 2000 years ago. Dr McCarthy supported the research through digital archaeology analysis. Read more about the research here.
Keeping Australia safe
Flinders University has been named as a finalist in the Defence and National Security Workforce Awards 2024 in the Best Future Skills Provider category. The inaugural Defence & National Security Workforce Awards program recognises up-and-comers and initiatives from across the industry, from the best technical, operations, and communications specialists under 35 to the nation’s leading Reserve support and training development programs.
The finalist features 79 high-achieving professionals and businesses across 20 categories. Being named a finalist is considered a remarkable achievement in the defence and national security workforce.
Professor in Innovation Giselle Rampersad said Flinders University has many exciting initiatives in the pipeline that will create wonderful opportunities of national significance for students in Defence and the Defence industry.
“Flinders success in securing 330 AUKUS CSP places, the launch of our Nuclear Engineering Program through partnerships with the University of Rhode Island and Manchester University and our Master in EW (Electromagnetic Systems and Spectrum Operations) that has trained members of Defence and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is reflected in the University’s nomination as a finalist.”
“We thank our students and collaborators from government, industry and academia for their partnerships and support and also congratulate the other finalists.’