This week we had the enormous pleasure of speaking with the one-and-only Professor Natalie Hannan. Natalie is an ARC Future Fellow, the Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion in the Faculty Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences and leads the Therapeutics Discovery and Vascular Function in Pregnancy Group, in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the University of Melbourne. She is passionate about developing new approaches to combat major complication of pregnancy, especially preeclampsia.

Natalie’s research has been recognised by the award of continuous funding support through eminent Fellowships and research grants, with over $9 Million awarded to date, to undertake important research to improve the health of women and infants. Natalie has a strong research profile with over 135 peer-reviewed publications in international journals. She is also the President of the Australian New Zealand Placental Research Association (ANZPRA), and an executive member on The International Federation of Placental Associations (IFPA) and Society of Obstetric Medicine Australia and New Zealand executive committees. She also serves as Associate Editor on the journal Reproduction, and serves on the Executive steering committee for the Graeme Clark Institute at the University of Melbourne.

She is well known for her engagement and passion to communicate on equity issues, as well as her medical research to the public. In recognition of her public engagement and communication skills she was awarded a Young Tall Poppy award and was selected as an Australian Fresh Scientist.

Natalie is a staunch ambassador for Women in STEM and is involved in initiatives to reduce the gender inequity in STEM. In 2016 she was awarded an inaugural VESKI Inspiring Women Fellowship. She is deeply committed to equity and advocacy for all people, their purpose, and for medicine and science. Natalie believes strongly in a diverse and discrimination free workplace, where gender, sexuality and sexual orientation, disability and an individual’s background should not be a barrier to reaching their full potential.

You can find out more about Natalie and her work here:

https://twitter.com/DrNatHannan

Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/6ude