SYDNEY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
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Vice-Chancellor visit to SSPHThe chance for our staff and leadership team to connect with Professor Mark Scott in an open, informal setting was both energising and deeply affirming.As we move toward our centenary in 2030,his encouragement and insightful guidance will be instrumental in shaping the future of our teaching, research, and community engagement.
We look forward to welcoming Professor Scott back next year!
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HDR Writing Workshop at Westmead
Six PhD students joined Prof Jaime Miranda and EMCR facilitators (Dr Sk Masum Billah, Dr Shannon McKinn, A/Prof Danielle Muscat) for a writing workshop at Westmead in early October. The workshop aimed to help HDR students connect with people across SSPH, while progressing their writing and making them more competitive when submitting their work to journals. Each student submitted an abstract, and had the opportunity to hear their research presented to the group by one of their peers. Students received feedback from facilitators and peers in a friendly, collaborative (and often lively!) roundtable discussion. Students said that they found having their work presented from the point of view of their peers "really helpful, since it captures points to improve your work while also shaping confidence in having your work 'reviewed' in front of you." The Westmead event followed a successful workshop held at Camperdown campus earlier in the year. After receiving very positive feedback from students at both sessions, the team has agreed to plan two HDR writing workshops in 2026.
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Academic Writing Month (AcWriMo) 2025!
November is Academic Writing Month, and you are invited to join the fun with your SSPH colleagues, students, and friends. Simply set a writing goal for the month, declare your goal and track your progress. To help you achieve your goals there are daily ‘Shut Up and Write’ groups via Zoom, webinars, and a 3-day writing retreat (26-28 Nov). Sign up here:
AcWriMo 2025 Info & Sign up
Academic writing month activities: More information
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3rd International Summit on ECG Interpretation in Athletes 2025A/Prof Jessica Orchard presented results from the Delphi study informing the ECG criteria update and results from their latest paper (with Prof Tim Driscoll, adjunct Prof John Orchard and Mr Angus Davis) on anterior T wave inversion in female athletes. Findings from this study will be included in the updated ECG criteria. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.125.042435
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Immunisation efforts in Papua New GuineaIn September, Professor Julie Leask was involved in a vaccine champions training of trainers program in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. She joined Dr Delly Barbona from the Burnett Institute PNG and Dr Jessica Kaufman from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute to train master trainers from the Provincial Health Authorities, Care PNG and UNICEF. Trainers were from Madang, Morobe and Eastern Highlands provinces and will continue to train health workers and community leaders to improve uptake of childhood immunisation. The work is funded by the Australian Regional Immunisation Alliance Regional Immunisation Support and Engagement (ARIA-RISE 2) scheme and UNICEF.
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Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium Alice Springs
Dr Emily Saurman attended the Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium in Alice Springs earlier this month, representing the DHCRC project in collaboration with Menzies School of Health Research. Team members, including USYD’s Tim Shaw and Josielli Comachio, presented research from remote NT. Emily’s PhD student, Catherine Sanford (BHUDRH), shared findings on a School-Based Primary Health Care Service. She also connected with Olaf Werner (FASS), who presented work with Cornell University on strengths-based research, and Siyu Wang (Leeder Centre), who showcased a poster. The Symposium brought together colleagues from USYD’s Rural Schools in Broken Hill, Dubbo/Orange, and Lismore – a valuable and inspiring event.
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Research SuccessThe Sydney Health Literacy Lab has been busy this past month celebrating research successes — from awards and grants to submissions. We've also been presenting at key international conferences, launching national programs, and welcoming new staff.
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Spotlight News | SSPH Committees
Education Sub-Committee
The Education Subcommittee is currently prioritising the formalisation of Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) across the program. This work is essential to ensure that each course clearly articulates its intended learning outcomes and that these outcomes are appropriately integrated within the broader program structure. In parallel, the Subcommittee is undertaking a comprehensive mapping of secure assessments to the CLOs. This process aims to confirm that all CLOs are being assessed in a meaningful and reliable way throughout the program. By aligning assessments with CLOs, we can better support student learning and uphold the integrity of our academic standards. Please keep an eye out for calls for input from the program directors and coordinators on both initiatives.
Research Sub-Committee
The research subcommittee continues the revamped research seminar series, and would like to thank all the presenters and attendees so far! We ask everyone to please make an effort to attend at least one per month, and come in person when you can. Currently we have working groups mapping data access, collaborative contracts and active research areas across the school. This will be used to develop resources to support research collaboration, including updating our website. Please get in touch with us at sph.research@sydney.edu.au if you would like to be involved.
People and Operations Sub-Committee
AP&D - Don’t forget to complete your AP&D with your supervisor, including uploading your Career Plan document into the online system.
Expression of Interest (Deadline 7 November)
Engagement and Outreach Subcommittee
Engagement Tip of the Week
If you are looking for a quick and easy way to increase your public profile and potential media engagement opportunities, register as an expert in the Scimex expert database. Scimex (the Science Media Exchange) is an online news portal aimed at helping journalists cover science. The site features a Find an Expert database of media-savvy scientists and science events listing. Scimex is an initiative of the not-for-profit charity, the Australian Science Media Centre. Register here: https://www.scimex.org/builders/expert
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Staff Updates- Professor Alexandra Martiniuk is moving to UNSW as Professor of Hospital Transformation and Future Health Systems after 20 years of service at USYD.
- Congratulations to Dr David Primrose SUPRA Lecturer of the Year Prize for the Faculty of Medicine and Health https://supra.net.au/get-involved/toty/
- Dr Rowena Forsyth from the Digital Health Group in SSPH was recently awarded the SEMCAN Good Mentor Award. The Award is a competitive, University-wide scheme, that recognises and rewards outstanding mentors. Over 180 nominations were received and after a 3 stage review process, 10 individuals received the award. Rowena was nominated by her recently completed PhD student Dr Emma van der Schyff.
- Congratulations to Professor Smita Shah OAM on receiving the Public Health Impact Award from the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA)! This prestigious award recognises Smita’s outstanding leadership and long-standing commitment to adolescent health promotion and chronic disease prevention over the past two decades.
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Highlights- Congratulations to Professor Philayrath Phongsavan from the Prevention Collaboration, Charles Perkins Centre and Medicine and Health, awarded $4 million in funding under the NSW Health Prevention Research Support Program. Read full article below:
Prevention Research Collaboration News
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SSPH Publications| InterviewsUniversity of Sydney Master of Public Health student publishes on housing affordability and disability. Master of Public Health student Alex Sully has recently published in the Q1 journal Health & Place: “Trends in disability-related inequalities in housing affordability in Australia, 2003 to 2022.” Read the article here.
A companion piece was also published in Croakey: “How to address the housing affordability crisis for Australians with disability”.
This research was completed as part of Alex’s Master of Public Health dissertation, supervised by Dr Jodie Bailie (Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney), Associate Professor Zoe Aitken (University of Melbourne), and Dr Glenda Bishop (University of Melbourne)
- Professor Anne Tiedemann was interview by Dr Norman Swan for the Health Report regarding NHMRC trial of yoga for fall prevention. Interview
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EMCR Roundtable: Unfiltered Advice for PHD students
Wish you had a crystal ball when you were doing your PhD? We're bringing the next best thing!
Join the HDR Network for an honest, no-holds-barred conversation with 5 EMCRs who've been exactly where you are now. They'll share unfiltered advice they wish they'd known during their PhD journey. Expect practical, battle-tested wisdom delivered in bite-sized 5-minute bursts, followed by a networking opportunity.
This isn't your typically stuffy acadeic panel. Think coffee chat enegery with career-changing insights. Whether you're in your first year and finding your feet of your final year and facing the finish line, you'll walk away with advice you can use.
Don't miss this rare opportunity to learn from those who've recently walked the path you're on!
📍 Tuesday 18/11 at 11am, Burkitt Ford Lounge
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Events
5 November | The Global Research Network of Migrant in Big Cities and its Founding Member Gabriela Uribe, from the Leeder Centre, is hosting the Roundtable on Advancing Participatory Research in Migration: Frontline Workers Perspectives in the UK, Portugal and Türkiye. Please email gabriela.uribe@sydney.edu.au for registration.
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This interactive session will provide an introduction to philanthropy in the university context and equip EMCRs with practical skills to strengthen their research careers. Together, we will explore how philanthropy can open doors to new opportunities, partnerships, and long-term sustainability.
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This year's theme is: From voices to action: conducting patient-centred research to transform kidney health policies.
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Co-led by SSPH staff member Phil Baker, the three-paper Series unpacks the scientific, policy and political dimensions of this pressing global health challenge.
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The Global Health Research Showcase if a flagship event to promote collaboration amoung researchers from across the University working in global health.
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| SSPH Talks Calendar invites will be issued for upcoming research seminars!
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