Space industry award for JBC director
Professor of Politics Rodrigo Praino, Director of the Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies, this month won the ‘Executive of the Year – Academia’ section of the 2026 Australian Space Awards. This follows the establishment of the Space Governance course and JBC research within the College of Business, Creative Arts, Law and Social Sciences.
Supported by former US ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich, the Flinders research centre has a Vienna space internship program under its partnership with the European Space Policy Institute. The Institute also runs the annual Australian Space Cyber Forum in Adelaide, and a Democracy Series of lectures at the City Campus – with the fourth lecture scheduled for 11 August.
Later this year, the JBC will welcome two new experts in political science – Professor Duncan McDonnell and Dr Sofia Ammassari, who will add to the centre’s research efforts.
Sleep research funding through the AASM Foundation
Congratulations to Dr Amal Osman, College of Medicine and Public Health – Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, who has been awarded funding through the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation 2026 Strategic Research Grants program. Dr Osman’s research will investigate the effect of skin tone on pulse oximeter function and consider the implications inaccurate measurements with dark skin may have for the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.
The project aims to contribute important evidence to support more accurate, equitable and effective approaches to sleep health assessment and care. By examining how pulse oximeter performance may vary, Dr Osman’s work has the potential to inform clinical practice and improve outcomes for patients.
Responsible AI in education – book attracts international interest
Congratulations Dr Tianchong Wang, Senior Lecturer in STEM in Innovative Education Futures with the College of Human Sciences and Culture, on the publishing Artificial Intelligence for Advancing Education Quality and Inclusion: Practices across Educational Settings with Springer International.
Co-edited with Professor Therese Keane from La Trobe University, the book offers insight and practical guidance about generative AI in K-12 education, covering teacher preparation and professional development, age-appropriate AI education and curricula, AI-enhanced pedagogy, subject-specific applications, and equity, inclusion and accessibility in AI education. Perhaps most importantly, it is designed and written to address how AI is reshaping education and what needs to be done to ensure and elevate access and inclusion at a time of rapid technological change.
With the foreword written by Dr Libing Wang, Chief of the Health and Education Section at UNESCO, the book is already sparking interest on the world stage.