2022 Faculty of Medicine Excellence Awards

The Innovators of the Year award recognises individuals and teams who have implemented innovative and effective initiatives that have resulted in significant tangible improvements, change and success within the Faculty.

Winners

The School of Biomedical Sciences Recruitment, Mentoring and Career Development committee was established to build and support a productive, engaged, collegial and healthy workplace at the school. Since REMEDE’s inception, the school has benefited from a stronger focus on strategic recruitment, effective and targeted mentoring and valuable carer development initiatives for academic staff, with tangible improvements to staff wellbing being reported across the board.

With health research underpinned by voluminous sensitive clinical data, accessibility, scalability and privacy concerns are often challenges faced by researchers in data processing. UQ KeyPoint is an innovative data infrastructure and digital solution that has been designed from the ground up. The cutting edge platform, led by Associate Professor Jason Ferris and Dr Dom Gorse enables researchers to access, manage, analyse and share sensititive research data in a scalable, fully governed and highly secure environment.

Nominees

• Dr Michael Devlin
• REMEDE committee of SBMS

• UQ KeyPoint: Secure Research Platform

• UQCCR Dementia Friendly Initiative

• UQCCR Research Support Team 

The Service Excellence Award recognises teams and individuals who show an outstanding and significant contribution to delivering excellence in service to students, staff or the wider community.

Winners

Associate Professor Judith Greer not only devotes herself to the research of multiple sclerosis but also undertakes the initiative of many social responsibilities. Often being described by her peers as a well-being champion, Judith provides an open-door policy for students and colleagues to confidentially discuss all matters that may arise. Her ability to engage, empathise and share her wealth of knowledge with a diverse community in incomparable. She is committed to supporting students and saff and foster an incredible work environment that extends beyond her research roles.

As the Faculty operations manager, Mary is involved across a multitude of projects and inititiavites, but always approaches every task in such a positive and supportive manner.

Mary consistently goes above and beyond – nothing is ever too much trouble. She seeks creative solutions to problems, cutting through red tape to ensure tasks are dealt with promptly. Mary is a true asset to the Faculty.

Commendations

Jane Barker from the Medical School for consistenly prioritisting student wellbeing and teaching in her role as Clinical Skills educator at the Rockhampton Clinical Unit. Her contributions are invaluable.

Libby Kelly from the School of Public Health for her outstanding and significant contribution to delivering excellence in service to staff within the school and creating a positive work environment through transparency, efficiency and flexibility in her role.

The Mater Research Institute-UQ Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee for leading various inititatives across the Faculty, including events, auditing and reporting on diversity considerations, bringing vacation care programs to Translational Research Institute for the first time and broadening the scope of the Committee to highlight the importance of cultural diversity in the STEMM.

The Research Operations group from Child Health Research Centre for providing excellenct service to academic and professional staff, research therapists, research students and external collaborators, by driving efficiencies in the centre and fostering a positive work environment for all.

The School of Public Health Development Team, which comprises of Dr Megan Grace and Cathy Swart for providing the highest research support to the school – working as a synergetic team to ensure the grant process is as seamless as possible.

Nominees

• Able Tan
• Ada Gao
• Anna Douvlos
• Associate Professor Dominic Ng
• Associate Professor Judith Greer (2)
• Associate Professor Lisa Hall
• Associate Professor Stephen Anderson (2)
• Associate Professor Susan Jordan
• Brian Mallon
• Centre for Online Health

• CHSR RDM Team

• Dan Striegl (2)
• Desiree George (2)
• Dr Amalie Dyda
• Dr Andy Kuo
• Dr Ilan Mears
• Dr Sara Gollschewski (2)
• Grace Mani
• HR Client Partnering (Medical School)

• Jane Baker
• Jo Maxwell
• Josie Manley
• Karine Cosgrove
• Kathy Kamarinos
• Kerryn Morris (2)
• Kevan Jones
• Leanne Oakley
• Libby Kelly (3)
• Lucy Reid
• Marcela Dorney
• Mark Chatfield (2)
• Marks Hirschfeld Musuem Volunteers

• Mary Schneider
• Mater Research Institute-UQ Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
• MD Accreditation Team

• Medicine Transaction Team

• Osa Kallstrand Thor (2)
• Research Operations Group

• Rhiannon Creasey
• Sam Ward
• SPH Research Development Team: Megan Grace and Cathy Swart (4)
• Frazer Institute Student Engagement (UQ-DISE)

• UQCCR Research Support Team

• Frazer Institute Operations

• Yvonne Chan, Lizzie Reeves, Ashleigh Prager and Emily Lawrence

The Leader of the Year Award for professional staff goes to a team or individual with exemplary leadership that supports a positive, performance-based culture and contributes to the achievements of the Faculty.

Winner

As the Faculty of Medicine finance manager, Phil’s role has many competing priorities across the Faculty office, organisational units and the chief operating office portfolio. Regardless of his complex workload, Phil manages to make an outstanding impact as a Faculty leader who always strives to support his team, provide his career opportunities and development while making everyone around him feel welcomed and valued in their roles.

Commendations

Rod Ainsworth from the Medical School for his strategic and collaborative leadership as the senior manager of the Regional Medical Pathway, and more recently the Darling Downs, South West Medical Pathway.

Sarah Piper from UQ Centre for Clinical Research for her creative, strategic thinking and active facilitation to achieve results, not just in the Centre for Clinical Research but the wider Faculty.

Nominees

• Becky Tooley
• Belinda Ryan (3)
• Clare Butters
• Dr Uli Siebeck
• Kate Sweeney
• Keira Anderson
• Kellie Brady
• Phil Carter
• Rod Ainsworth (2)
• Sarah Piper
• Sarah Wishart
• Vicki Hobson-Green

The Leader of the Year Award goes to a team or individual with exemplary leadership who thinks and works strategically, achieves tangible results and drives accountability. The winner must foster learning and a positive work culture while inspiring others to focus their talents.

Winner

Professor Ruth Hubbard has worked tirelessly since her appointment as Masonic Chair of Geriatric Medicine at Centre for Health Services Research, building up a team of ten working at reducing the impact of fraility on people in hospitals and the community. In addition to multiple successful international conferences and media engagements in 2022, Professor Hubbard also secured $5million in MRFF funding for improving hospital outcomes for frail patients across different disciplines. This was followed by the award of an NHMRC CRE to improve outcomes by helping healthcare systems understand the impact of frailty on outcomes and costs, developing clinical practise guidelines and upskilling the next generation of researchers and clinicians to continue the legacy of this centre for research excellence. Ruth’s exemplary leadership continues to drive immediate clinical impact across Qld Health and wider Australia.

Commendations

Associate Professor Clair Sullivan from Centre for Health Services Research for her outstanding work in digital healthcare, driving a successful HERA bid and MRFF Data Infrastructure grant this year.

Associate Professor Coral Gartner from the School of Public Health for being an international expert in nicotine and tobacco policy and leader of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame.

Nominees

• Associate Professor Coral Gartner
• Associate Professor Helen Wozniak
• Associate Professor Jasneek Chawla
• Associate Professor Jason Ferris
• Associate Professor Kylie Tucker
• Associate Professor Lisa Hall
• Associate Professor Louise Conwell
• Associate Professor Peter Simpson
• Associate Professor Susan Jordan
• Dr Abbey Diaz
• Dr Joan Li
• Margo Lane
• Professor David Paterson
• Professor Monika Janda (2)
• Professor Ruth E. Hubbard
• Queensland Digital Health Centre

The Leader of the Future Award for professional staff recognises individuals who display the qualities of a great future leader and lead and inspire others to strive for excellence.

Winner

Kate Sweeney has been described by her peers as an asset to the Faculty medical education arena, helping to transform the UQ medical program as part of the MD Design Project. Kate approaches her role with diligence, respect for others and is not afraid of hard work and going the extra mile to keep the project on course. When presented with difficult situtations and challenges she has displayed creativity to problem solve and adapt when required. She is an exemplar of the UQ values for her team, as well as those around her. Kate has proven to be a clear, quality leader of the future.

Commendation

Dr Jennifer Outhwaite from School of Biomedical Sciences for consistently going above in her role as Facility manager to foster a positive working culture while increasing business processes, outputs and client satisfaction throughout the school.   

Nominees

• Dr Jake Russell
• Dr Jennifer Outhwaite (2)
• Kate Sweeney
• Natasha Rabbitt
• Ümit Özer

The Leader of the Future Award for academic staff recognises an individual who display the qualities of a great future leader and who leads and inspire others to strive for excellence.

Winners

Associate Professor Jana Vukovic leads the Neuroimmunology and Cognition Laboratory, team at School of Biomedical Sciences focused on understanding the role of microglia in health and diseased brains. As a highly successful Research Focused academic, Jana demonstrates excellent leadership, motivating and inspiring both staff and students. She is well known amongst her peers for her passionate, enthusiastic approach to her work – exhibiting creativity and excellence in research, as well as providing inclusivity, promotion and support of those around her. She is described by her colleagues as a “true Leader of the Future”.

Dr Joan Li works tirelessly to exemplify teaching leadership in the Medical School, providing a genuine interest in the learning and wellbeing of medical students. Joan encourages student feedback to continuously improve course curriculum within program, often asking students to engage in real-time feedback during class. Joan has also fostered the promotion of equity, diversity and inclusion in coursework by addressing the bias in skin diversity in the dermatology curriculm, addressing Health Care for Transgender people, as well as implementing a new symposium on culture safety and competency. Dr Joan Li consistently goes above and beyond in her role and is highly deserving of recognition for her outstanding teaching and leadership.

Commendation

Dr Suzanne Parker from UQ’s Centre for Clinical Research for her outstanding qualities that leader and inspire others to strive for excellence. Dr Parker constantly goes above and beyond to provide support and mentorship to postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and the laboratory personnel she manages.

Nominees

• Associate Professor Jana Vukovic
• Associate Professor Leanne Sakzewski
• Associate Professor Nicola Warren
• Dr Joan Li
• Dr Kate Beecher Matthews
• Dr Suzanne Parker
• Professor Di Eley

The Excellence in Mental & Physical Health award recognises the implementation of innovative and exciting ideas and practices which contribute to the mental and physical health, safety and wellness of our staff and students.

Winner

Associate Professor Wendy Findlay has worked tirelessly throughout 2022 to drive an important initiative that is enhancing the quality of life, wellbeing, work and study of medical students living with a mental or physical illness. Having identified that many of these issues arise with a lack of adequate communication regarding individual student needs, and accomodations that can be made in a clinical environment, Wendy worked in collaboration with the Academy of Medical Education to initiate a review of the Student Access Plan process. Recognising that our Medical School procedures can incorrectly characterise students with mental illness as a ‘fitness to practise’ issue, her work has lead to a comprehensive review of mental health support that will introduce an alternative, non-disciplinary means of supporting students with mental health issues to complete their studies. Her work will have lasting benefit to the Medical School by demonstrating what can be achieved through a compassionate and constructive approach to mental health concerns.

Commendation

The Wellbeing Committee at UQ Centre for Clinical Research for providing exceptional pastural care to the Centre’s community through varied and innovative activies, which in turn has had an exceptionally positive effect on the culture and wellness at CCR. 

Nominees

• Associate Professor Wendy Findlay
• Jenny Ebbott
• Medical School - Fit Testing Team (2)

• Victor Gallegos-Rejas
• UQCCR Wellbeing Committee (2)

The Spirit of Reconciliation Award recognises professional or Academic teams or individuals who demonstrate outstanding and significant contribution to the spirit of reconciliation.

Winners

Associate Professor Kym Rae is the Principal Research Fellow in Indigenous Health at Mater Research, with her work dedicated to understanding the origins of health and disease, particularly diseases impacting Indigenous communities to ensure equitable health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Kym has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the spirirt of reconciliation through her implementation of innovative, culturally appropriate research projects that are co-designed with Indigenous communities to address health needs. Her engagement and track record of mentoring indigenous researchers strengthens opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders within the Faculty, the health sector and higher education.

Dr Natasha Reid leads the National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, a guidelines that is to be endorsed by NHMRC and used in educational, clinical, research and public health practisce throughout Australia. To ensure the FASD guidelines was inclusive of every voice, Tash dedicated money, resources and power to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as part of this work. It was ensured that Indigenous peoples lead and informed every aspect of the cultural framework of the FASD Guidelines. Dr Reid’s only agenda was to bring equity, justice and healing. It has been described by her peers as the most profound act of reconciliation they have been apart of.

Nominees

• Associate Professor Kym Rae
• Dr Natasha Reid
• Indigenous Health Rights and Equity team

• Maree Toombs, Gail Garvey, Lauren Seden and Khwanruethai Ngampromwongse
• Wayne Williams

The Philanthropic Leader of the Year Award goes to an individual who has embraced and actively demonstrates an outstanding effort in promoting philanthropic giving that benefits and gives back to our students, research, programs and wider community.

Commendation

The Frazer Institute Diabetes Team are recognised with a commendation for their amazing work that leader to over $500,000 raised in support of type 1 diabetes research at UQ Giving Day. Their campaign, which attracted many first-time donors was underpinned by their prior engagement with the Brisbane Type 1 diabetes community. Their activities have bolstered diabetes research at the institute, which is now supporting an ongoing clinical trial at the Queensland Children’s Hospital led by Associate Professor Emma Hamilton-Williams and immunotherapy research. The funds raised are also supporting early career research and students within their team.

Nominees

• Diabetes Research at Frazer Institute

• Dr Astrid Rodriguez Acevedo

The Rising Star of the Year Award for academic or professional staff goes to early-career researcher with outstanding commitment to research and future potential as a researcher. They demonstrate qualities that align with UQ objectives and values.

Winner

Dr Laura Fenlon has established an independent and productive laboratory within School of Biomedical Sciences and leads a team known for their excellence and creativity. As an emerging leader in her field, Dr Fenlon has in the last twelve months attracted significant funding in her research, published a senior-author primary research article in the prestigious ‘Development’ journal and been asked to present at national and international events. Aside from her outstanding research role, Laura has also demonstrated her commitment to the school by involving herself in the research, and  equity and diversity committee. Laura is a truly inspiring role model and future leader.

Commendations

Dr Cheneal Puljevic from School of Public Health for her impressive track record as an emerging leader in tobacco control and illicit drug policy.

Associate Professor Jasneek Chawla from Child Health Research Centre for improving the lives of both her patients and families through her exemplary and collaborative work in paediatric respiratory and sleep problems.

Nominees

• Associate Professor Jasneek Chawla
• Dr Arutha Kulasinghe
• Dr Cheneal Puljevic (3)
• Dr Emma Thomas
• Dr Hafiz Abdul-Aziz
• Dr Julie Wixey (2)
• Dr Laura Fenlon
• Dr Lee Woods
• Dr Menino (Os) Cotta
• Dr Natasha Jansz