A first for Flinders and Australia with sleep medicine award
Congratulations to Professor Danny Eckert, who has been awarded the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Excellence in Research Award at the recent SLEEP 2026 meeting in Baltimore, USA.
Presented before an audience of more than 5,000 international sleep researchers and clinicians, this prestigious award recognises Professor Eckert’s outstanding contributions to sleep medicine and research.
While the honour is awarded to Professor Eckert as an individual, it also reflects the exceptional research being undertaken by the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) Sleep Health team and its global impact.
Professor Eckert is the youngest recipient and the only Australian to receive the Excellence in Research Award, making this an outstanding achievement for both him and Flinders.
Congratulations to all of the FHMRI Sleep Health team on this well-deserved international recognition. Read more.
Dr Bryce Brickley selected for prestigious global heart health program
Congratulations to Senior Research Fellow Dr Bryce Brickley, who has been selected as one of just 25 participants worldwide (and one of only two Australians) for the 2026 World Heart Federation Salim Yusuf Emerging Leaders Programme.
The program brings together emerging cardiovascular leaders from 16 countries to strengthen global collaboration in cardiovascular disease prevention and care.
Based in Darwin, Dr Brickley’s research focuses on improving heart health equity in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through community-led partnerships. Read More.
National recognition for humanities researcher
Congratulations to Dr Minglei Wang who is one of eight recipients of the prestigious 2026 Humanities Travelling Fellowships from the Australian Academy of the Humanities.
Dr Wang’s research project will focus on China Cultural Centres as a key platform of Chinese cultural diplomacy and an overlooked dimension of China–Oceania relations. His work will investigate how China engages regional actors through cultural initiatives across diverse geographical and political contexts, while assessing how these initiatives are perceived and their role in broader processes of cultural exchange and international engagement.
The project is both timely and significant given the Pacific region’s increasing importance to Australia and other regional stakeholders amid China’s expanding diplomatic, economic, and cultural engagement in the region.
The Travelling Fellowships support early career researchers with costs of up to $4,000 to undertake research overseas, including accessing archives and other research materials, forge new international networks and advance understanding on issues of national and global significance. Read more.