Update from the Vice President and Executive Dean

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day with the theme "March Forward: For ALL women and girls". This marks the 30-year anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which outlined a vision for gender equality across 12 critical areas where progress was urgently needed, from economic empowerment and leadership to media representation.

It is timely to acknowledge the contribution of women to the College and the gender-based inequality that remains. As I have said publicly on many occasions, women are substantially over-represented in domains of activity such as education, mentoring, service, diversity and inclusion, and reconciliation. This speaks to attributes of generosity and social responsibility that should not be gender-based. The influences and causes are complex and societally-based, and much broader than the workplace, but the responsibility for gender-based equality now primarily lies with men, men like me, enacted in the hundreds of decisions, actions and words we do and speak every day. I want to acknowledge the extraordinary leaders in my direct team – Lorraine, Julie, Jay, Billie, Robyn, and Karen – who are also women.

It's a great time to be on campus, whether you are on the NT, Rural SA, or Bedford Park campus. Students are everywhere, and there is plenty of hope, energy and enthusiasm in the air. Next week I am attending the South Australia Rural Medical Program launch in Mt Gambier. I have heard so much about the quality and enthusiasm of the new students and staff, and am keen to experience it firsthand. Thanks to everyone – both academic and professional staff – who have got this program up and running. It’s a very tacit example of delivering educational programs that make communities stronger.

Join the 2025 College Retreat: Tickets available

The College of Medicine and Public Health Retreat will take place on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 March 2025 at the Health and Medical Research Building (HMRB). This two-day event offers an excellent opportunity for all MPH staff to connect, collaborate, and reflect on shared goals and achievements. The retreat will feature engaging activities, insightful presentations, and meaningful discussions. Further details about presenters, topics, and interactive sessions will be provided soon. In the meantime, staff are encouraged to register attendance to secure their seat. This is a valuable opportunity to participate in an inspiring and productive event.

Updated ticket types: Ticket options have been updated. If your two-day ticket was previously cancelled, please re-register to secure your place.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Shannon Macfarlane, Paramedicine Course Coordinator, and Alistair Standish, Course Coordinator of the Master of Biotechnology, on their achievements in the Advance HE Fellowship program! Shannon has been awarded a Fellowship, while Alistair has received a Senior Fellowship, recognising their dedication to excellence in teaching and learning in higher education.

Advance HE Fellowships provide international recognition for educators and support staff who enhance student learning. The program, administered in the UK, aligns with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), a globally recognised benchmark for teaching proficiency in higher education.

Out and About

Science Meets Parliament 2025: Putting Indigenous Communities at the Centre

At Science Meets Parliament 2025, a panel chaired by Poche SA+NT Director Kalinda Griffiths explored how to ensure Indigenous communities are central to Australian research. Experts, including Summer-May Finlay, Tegan Miller, and Ray Tobler, discussed the importance of collaboration, respect, and sovereignty in research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They shared successful case studies and highlighted how prioritising Indigenous perspectives enhances research outcomes and fosters mutual understanding. Science Meets Parliament connects STEM experts with policymakers, strengthening engagement between science, technology, and government. Read more

Get to Know Your College

Expressions of Interest

The Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation Annual Grants Program EOI: If you plan to apply, contact cmph.research@flinders.edu.au.The internal review deadline is 17 March. (external Deadline 31 March). More information here

Embedding Sustainability in Teaching Scheme - Applications close March 31

Opportunity to attend the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) Postgraduate Workshops

Adelaide-based colleagues have a unique opportunity to attend two Postgraduate Workshops on 21 March, held just before the TSANZ ASM. These workshops will cover: "Nicotine: New challenges and new solutions" and "Smoking and lung cancer".

TSANZ has generously offered free attendance for local non-members, making this an excellent chance to engage with leading experts and strengthen collaborations across disciplines. If you or a colleague are interested, email tsanzsrs@theconferencecompany.com, mention the colleague's referral and confirm non-membership status.

Events

Updates to HDR Milestone presentations (every Friday during Semester)

MPH HDR Friday Milestone Presentation Forums will no longer update calendar invitations weekly. Presentations are at 12:30 pm every Friday in the HMRB seminar area, Level 2. The upcoming schedule link is in the calendar invitation, and any changes will be shown on the schedule. Final thesis reviews are now 30 minutes long. For more details, contact HDRsupport.CMPH@flinders.edu.au.

Sessions to refine and strengthen your NHMRC Ideas Grant application

NHMRC Ideas grants open next week on Wednesday 12 March. Please get in contact with cmph.research@flinders.edu.au if you intend to apply for this grant round.

Contact Researcher Training, Development and Communication to learn more. 

Calling all Clinician HDR and ECR researchers! 

12:30pm - 1pm, Tuesday 18 March, Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer (FCIC) Function Room

With the new year in full swing, we would like to welcome all Higher Degree by Research (HDR) and Early Career Researcher (ECR) clinicians to the first meeting of our clinician HDR/ECR community of practice (CoP). The main aim of the CoP is to connect clinician researchers across Flinders and help foster potential collaborations, brainstorm issues or ideas, and allow networking across different disciplines and research programmes. For more information, reach out to cmph.research@flinders.edu.au  

Join Flinders' Neurodiversity Celebration Week Forum: Tuesday 18 March 

3pm - 4pm, Tuesday 18 March, Lecture Theatre 1.09, Health Sciences, Bedford Park or online

Flinders University is committed to fostering an inclusive environment, and we invite staff—especially those in leadership—to join a discussion on building a neurodiverse workforce. This forum will increase organisational understanding and inform future initiatives to reduce inequities. Learn more or register

FHMRI Inspiring Leaders Seminar Series: Next seminar Friday 21 March

10:30am (morning tea provided), Level 2 Seminar Rooms, Health and Medical Research Building. No need to register – please refer to the calendar invitation for the livestream link

• Fri 21 Mar: Nicole Rankin - Evaluation & Implementation Science (University of Melbourne). Nicole's work focuses on how evidence can be translated into clinical practice to improve patient and health service outcomes, especially relating to lung cancer screening and the psychosocial aspects of disease management.
• Wed 16 Apr: Lachlan Smith - Orthopaedic research (University of Pennsylvania)
• Tue 1 Jul: Lezanne Ooi - Neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration (University of Wollongong)
• Mon 28 Jul: Peter van Wijngaarden - Ophthalmic neuroscience (Florey Institute)
• Wed 19 Nov: Fiona Blyth - Public health & pain epidemiology (University of Sydney)

Join FHMRI Inspiring Leader Seminars to hear international and national research leaders share their career journeys and research highlights. Open to all disciplines, these seminars offer valuable insights for everyone.

Need to know

MPH Finance reminder: timely invoice submission 

As we commence a new year, MPH Finance wish to remind everyone of the importance of timely invoice submission. To ensure prompt payment and maintain good supplier relations, please follow the updated process for handling invoices:

1. Direct Submission by Suppliers: Suppliers should send their invoices directly to invoices@flinders.edu.au
2. Internal Handling: If you receive an invoice from a supplier, please forward it immediately to invoices@flinders.edu.au and cc cmph.finance@flinders.edu.au

Prompt submission is crucial for timely payment; sometimes, invoices are received after the due dates. By cc’ing the College inbox, we can track when invoices were submitted should issues arise however, please note that invoice processing is handled by the Central Finance Team. Any queries about invoices should be directed to accounts@flinders.edu.au

New Staff Learning Portal Available Now

Flinders has launched a new Staff Learning Portal, accessible via your Okta Dashboard. This platform enhances staff training, ensures compliance with new legislation, and streamlines tracking and reporting. Initially available to continuing and fixed-term staff, the portal offers key training such as Code of Conduct, Online Induction, Risk Management, and more. Supervisors can track staff training progress, manage approvals, and access reports. Some courses will still be available on Canvas, iEnrol, and Inspire during the transition.

• For Supervisors: Supervisors can book into optional learning sessions 
• For Staff: Continuing and fixed-term staff can book into optional learning sessions
• Training Guides: A suite of training guides are available for supervisors and staff
• Support Requests: For support or any issues, please raise a ServiceOne request

Applications Open: Research grants and funding opportunities

Applications are now open for the following Research Investment Fund schemes:

• Research Support for Early and Mid-Career Researchers – Closes March 24 (College deadline)
• Research Infrastructure Funding – Closes 7 April (College deadline). Please note funding is capped at $50K per project, with co-investment required from the College.
• Large Scale Transdisciplinary & Partnership Seed Grants – Closes 14 April

Women’s and Children Hospital Foundation - Bloom Research Program 2025 

The WCH Foundation supports health and medical research with up to $2M for childhood/adolescent mental health (Stream 1) and $1.7M for rare diseases and pregnancy-related disorders (Stream 2) in 2025.

• Stream 1: Applicants need to attend the Round Table event held on Tuesday 25 March 2025, via SmartyGrants, by 5pm, Friday 7 March.
• Stream 2: Applicants only need to submit an EOI by 5pm, Thursday 24 April 2025. 

Interested? Contact cmph.research@flinders.edu.au and igii@flinders.edu.au.

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