What do you do in the world of Higher Degrees by Research?

My job title is a mouthful – HDR Strategic Operations and Quality Assurance Partner – and the OGR team affectionately call me SOQAP. I’ve been in the world of HDR at Flinders University for 20 years, at both as a former Faculty level and now for the Portfolio of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). I have the privilege of working with Tara every day to help shape the governance and compliance for the HDR community at Flinders University. There are many internal and external factors that inform how the University needs to operate for the management of HDR students and supervisors. A key duty of my job is to ensure that the University is compliant with government legislation and national requirements. This, in turn, informs the development of policies and procedures and best practice within the OGR by working closely with each of the teams.

The best part of your job?

The people in the Office of Graduate Research are fantastic and have a depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise that makes it a pleasure to work with them every day.

Being one of the original members of the OGR, I have seen many changes and developments both at the University and for HDR candidature management. In the last few years, I’ve been excited to see some of the original goals and plans coming to fruition. I am the Business Owner for the Inspire project and this is my proudest achievement by far. The roadmap for this project is approximately 3 years and it has truly been a team effort to help inform and build the candidature management tool that HDR students, supervisors and our professional staff use every day.

Your favourite holiday destination?

Any holiday is a good holiday. One family holiday to Sepang, Malaysia was out of this world. My husband and two beautiful girls stayed in a villa over the water for 7 days. It was a truly relaxing holiday by the pool, with the occasional day trip to see and experience some local sights and customs.

I also love camping with my family just about anywhere. We have a fully equipped camper trailer that makes life on the road very comfortable. Our favourite spots have been Flinders Ranges, Kings Canyon, Lake Hope, Robe and Port Hughes – anywhere by the beach is good.

Your favourite Cuisine?

There are too many to choose from – I love food. I do enjoy cooking curries and having leftovers in the freezer. These make a quick and easy dinner on a weeknight after work. It feels like you’re having a takeaway. My favourite restaurants in Adelaide are Shiki Japanese Teppanyaki and Concubine.