Past Fellowship Recipients

Jess’s journey to further her professional career development centres around the Mobile Care Camps project, an opportunity to work alongside other optometrists in disadvantaged communities, Jess engaged in eye care initiatives during her trips to Northern Sri Lanka. The trip ran for one week, encompassing four days of eye screening with three days each in Anuradhapura and Jaffna.

The Fellowship’s support to help Jess participate in this project was an invaluable experience for Jess enabling her to self-reflect on her clinical skills and methods of practice while adapting to work under pressure and with limited resources, a crucial aspect of providing eye care in remote areas. Learning how to overcome challenges without the usual luxuries of practice in Australia, like nearby ophthalmologists and up-to-date equipment, will be invaluable for Jess’s professional growth.

Alex’s passion for food governance and its impact on public health led her to apply for the SCOGA Fellowship to attend the prestigious 2019 Food Governance Conference. The Food Governance Conference is a gathering of national experts, decision-makers, and leaders in the food policy landscape, making it Australia’s premier food policy conference. Renowned speakers, including Ms. Hilal Elver, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the right to food, will address how policy influences our food system.

This conference perfectly aligned with Alex’s PhD, which focused on identifying policies to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in child obesity. Attending this influential event granted Alex the opportunity to engage with the latest research, discussions, and gain insights into the challenges faced by our food system and its impact on health. She interacted with prominent leaders in various disciplines, fostering knowledge to inform her PhD research and future career.

Yolanda’s lifelong passion for anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion, coupled with her family’s legacy of social justice activism, drives her to study and advocate for equity and equality. Having conducted her own research and reading extensively on these critical issues, Yolanda was eager to delve deeper into the realm of racism prevention in the United States, where well-established, well-funded racial justice programs have led to a highly evolved approach to antiracism and long-term solutions. She attended the Leadership for Diversity Institute and the AntiRacist Alliance in New York, USA, keen to learn from the effective initiatives found there and bring valuable insights back to Australia.

As an Indigenous woman, Yolanda has personally experienced the impact of racism on both individual and systemic levels, fueling her determination to drive change. Receiving the SCOGA Fellowship was a pivotal moment for Yolanda’s leadership journey in the realm of anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. With this support, she aspires to create a platform that fosters culturally competent, inclusive, and safe spaces in schools, organisations, and government departments. Yolanda’s dedication and commitment will undoubtedly inspire positive change, making our society a more equitable and understanding place for all.

Susan’s groundbreaking project delves into the impact of endometriosis on the work ability of young women, shedding light on an often-overlooked aspect of women’s health. Susan embarked on this vital research, aiming to understand how endometriosis affects work ability in young Australian women. Leveraging data from a large study of 6986 women aged 18-39, Susan’s team collected comprehensive information on menstrual history, endometriosis symptoms, diagnoses, and work performance. Despite endometriosis being a common condition that profoundly influences physical and psychological well-being, its impact on work ability remains poorly understood.

The Fellowship’s support has been crucial in funding the analysis and extraction of essential information from the database. Susan’s dedicated research will provide valuable insights into the professional lives of young women with endometriosis, advocating for better support and understanding of their needs.⁣

Serena’s doctoral thesis is set to make a significant impact on the field of Social Work, both nationally and internationally, with a special focus on the sustainability of trauma practitioners in regional and remote areas of Australia. The Fellowship played a crucial role in supporting Serena throughout her Doctoral program, as it is not government-funded. Being a full fee-paying student, she faced financial challenges in covering the course fees and ongoing expenses, such as professional editing and administrative costs. With the Fellowship’s support, Serena will continue her research and contribute to the body of knowledge related to Social Work in trauma organizations.

As the successful recipient, Serena aimed to shed light on workforce challenges and sustainability in Social Work practice in trauma settings, advocating for improved access to trauma services in regional and remote communities. Her research findings will offer valuable insights for professionals working with victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse, enhancing the retention of dedicated Social Workers in these crucial roles.

Hilary applied to the fellowship for her passion and dedication to empowering girls and women in sports through the Female Athlete Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. The program’s mission is to advance knowledge about women’s health, a historically understudied area, by engaging researchers and clinicians to focus on female athletes’ unique physiology. With only 11% of sports studies centred on women, understanding their physiology is crucial for coaching, game development, and program structure to support their success in the sports world.

As part of her fellowship, Hilary will be attending two conferences which will bring together world leaders to share current research, insights, and future focus areas in women’s sports. Throughout these conferences, Hilary will participate in interactive workshops, learn from athlete experiences, and build critical networks that will enhance her clinical practice in Australia. By empowering female athletes with knowledge about their health, training, and performance, Hilary is driving positive change in women’s health and athletic achievements.