In July this year we welcomed Marian McAllister to her role as Teaching Specialist role with the Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Flinders University. Marian has been doing some regular teaching in the department for some time, so when we spoke with her she said it was very satisfying to gain an ongoing position in the department.  She shares with us her what her new role involves, her areas of interest and career to date.

My teaching role is to prepare Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetic students for Community and Public Health Placement, through teaching the 3rd year Public Health and Community Nutrition topic. I have also spent this year supporting sites in South Australia with their community and public health placement. Next year I will be continuing in the Community and Public Health Placement role planning and supporting placements for 2018. It is a busy and exciting time!

I am enjoying the opportunity to apply and share experiences from my many years of Community and Public Health Nutrition practice. Having worked with many great South Australian programs and projects such as eat well be active Community Programs, OPAL, Community Foodies and in the partnership branch in SA Health I have many stories to share and practical examples to draw on. I am passionate about healthy eating and working with communities and the opportunity to teach in an area I believe in has been very rewarding.

We are now preparing for 2018 and I would enjoy hearing from any of my colleagues that might be interested in working with us as well as hosting any students in their communities and areas of work in nutrition health promotion. I am working part-time at Flinders on Wednesdays and Fridays as I continue to be working in my part-time SA Health position at SALHN. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss your work with me for inclusion in our teaching program.