Posted on by Shannon Coleman

Recap: Emerging Leaders Showcase 2022

Image: Emerging Leaders Showcase short talk presenter Dr Alyce Martin addresses attendees on day 1.

The 2022 Emerging Leaders Showcase (ELS) was held at the Alere Function Centre last week, uniting academics, teaching specialists, clinician scientists, professional staff and students, consumers, industry sponsors, and invited guests to network, share diverse research insights, and contend for an ELS Award.

The annual flagship event aims to showcase outstanding research and teaching from staff and students across the College of Medicine and Public Health (CMPH) and Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) themes covering molecular biosciences, health communities, and clinical translation. The event provides a unique opportunity to connect and network with colleagues across the wide footprint that Flinders University and CMPH operate and hold thought-provoking discussions about new ideas and promote collaborations with the potential to achieve better health outcomes.

Organising committee co-chair Associate Professor Andrew Vakulin said the 2022 committee were proud to have seen such great engagement from HDRs whose presentation were of outstanding quality.

“The 2022 Emerging Leaders Showcase exhibited high-quality, cutting-edge research and teaching innovations in biomedical, educational, public health and clinical research initiatives throughout FHMRI, and showcased our continued success as an institution,” he said.

“We are also very happy to see greater representation and engagement of our amazing teaching specialists and the outstanding innovations and learning experiences they deliver to our students. It was great to interact with our Rural and Remote Health Colleagues who have traveled far to be with us, as well as seeing more clinicians and representatives from SALHN which shows strengthened partnership and engagement.”

Event highlights

The dynamic 2-day program of events commenced on Thursday with plenary speakers, short talks, and eposter presentations showcasing the excellent works of our emerging leaders before the opportunity to meet and mingle at an afternoon networking session.

Highlighting the broad width of talents within the College, the showcase also exhibited artworks from CMPH students Rebbecca Medhurst, Kirsty Emery, and research assistant Danielle Renfrey, as well as the musical stylings of MD student musical acts ‘Violin Duo’ and ‘The Acoustic Nerve’.

Friday featured an engaging panel of speakers and senior leaders from SALHA and Flinders University discussing the theme of ‘Emerging Leaders for a Fearless Future’.

Image: ELS panel discussion: (L-R) Professor Rober Saint, Dr Simon Windsor, Dr Yee Lian Chew, Dr Alyce Martin, Professor James Smith, Associate Professor Karla Canuto, Professor Billie Bonevski, Professor Romy Lawson.

Following the three-minute thesis presentation, HDR student mentees interacted with their mentors at the HDR Mentorship Program Meet and Greet.

2022 ELS Award winners

The highly anticipated ELS awards ceremony concluded proceedings, presented to winners from each category:

Best Short Talk from an Early-Career Academic (ECA)

  • First place: Dr Molla Wassie, Runner-up: Dr Joshua Inglis

Best Short Talk from a Mid-Career Academic (mca)

  • First place: Dr Vi-Khanh Truong, Runner-up: Dr Adeline Lau

Best Poster Presentation from a HDR student

  • First place: Steven Johnson, Runner-up: Dr Nyoli Valentine

Best Poster Presentation from an Early/Mid-Career Academic

  • First place: Dr Roman Lenchine, Runner-up: Andreea Popa

Best 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Presentation from a HDR student

  • First place: Bridget Mooney, First runner-up: Aelon Rahmani, Second runner-up: Andrew Hayles

The Conversation Award: Dr Molla Wassie

Dr Wassie will receive a voucher to complete a Pitching and Writing Masterclass to enable him to publish a short article and share his expertise with The Conversation’s global audience.

The Hospital Research Foundation Sponsor Engagement Award ($100 visa gift card): Bronwin Patrickson

Door prize (Breville coffee machine donated by Harvey Norman Gepps Cross): Zoey Reed

Associate Professor Andrew Vakulin offered congratulations on behalf of the organising committee.

“We would like to extend our big congratulations to all the award winners this year. It is a testament to the high caliber and excellence of research and teaching within CMPH/FHMRI and we hope the awards and recognition of our emerging leaders help to further their careers,” he said.

All other winners receive monetary prizes kindly donated by the Flinders Foundation along with the Best ECA Talk winning The Conversation Award, the BEST MCA Talk winning a voucher for a free tax return from Quantum Accounting and the Best 3MT presentation receiving a Cengage voucher.

Prizes for runner-up HDR awardees were made possible thanks to Briony Forbes, for providing funding via RedHub.

Acknowledgments and thanks

The ELS 2022 was supported by College of Medicine and Public Health, (CMPH), Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders Foundation, The Hospital Research Foundation Group, AstraZeneca, Biosensis, Eppendorf, ChemSupply, Pathtech, MPT Connect, Cengage, The Conversation, Quantum, and Harvey Norman Gepps Cross.

Image: ELS Organizing Committee members: (L-R back) Dr Yuri Ogawa, Alana White, Shannon Macfarlane, Dr Daniel Thorpe, Dr Helen Harrison, Dr Norma B. Bulamu, Brad Mitchell. (L-R front) Dr Sara Tommasi, Associate Professor Andrew Vakulin, Nicole Grivell, Dr Voula Gaganis.

Many thanks to the organising committee and event sponsors, the college looks forward to 2023 and another showcase that promises to be educational and inspirational.

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