Inspiring Stories

Professor Sue Matthews is the CEO of the Royal Women’s Hospital and has extensive experience in nursing and health system management. Previously, she was CEO of the Niagara Health System in Canada and advised government on health issues. A Fellow of the Wharton School, she is an Adjunct Professor at Trent and Swinburne Universities and an Honorary Professor at the University of Melbourne. She has received multiple accolades, including the Canadian Nurses Association Centennial Award and recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women.

This episode was recorded on 10 November 2023.

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

 

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Professor Sarah Gilbert is a vaccinologist whose research has been on the development of
vaccines against infectious diseases such as malaria, influenza and most notably SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The vaccine she helped to develop with Oxford University, the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, has had over 3 billion doses delivered to countries worldwide. In this special in-person interview, Professor Natalie Hannan and Professor Gilbert discuss Sarah’s career and the development of the vaccine while also looking ahead to what needs to be done to combat future pandemics.

This episode was recorded on 27 September 2023

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Associate Professor Misty Jenkins AO is a Gunditjmara woman, leads the immunotherapy program at the Brain Cancer Centre, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. She focuses on developing treatments for brain cancer by studying lymphocytes. She advocates for greater diversity in science, supporting women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In 2023, she received an Order of Australia for her distinguished service to medical science, women in STEM, and the Indigenous community.

This episode was recorded on 22 August 2023.

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laura Mackay is a Laboratory Head and Immunology Theme Leader at the Peter Doherty Institute. In 2022, Laura was the youngest Fellow elected to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Her research is focused on T-cells and the immune system, specifically tissue-resident memory T cells, and how memory T cells protect the body against disease. Chatting with Professor Natalie Hannan, Laura talks about how getting glandular fever as an undergraduate led her to a career in lab research.

This podcast was recorded on 11 July 2023.

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Flora Hui is an optometrist and a Research Fellow at the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences in the School of Health Sciences and the Centre for Eye Research Australia. Flora's research is focused on new treatments and diagnostics for eye diseases, including glaucoma and Alzheimer’s disease. In this interview, Flora talks about being the first in her family to attend university,

This episode was recorded on 13 June 2023.
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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.

Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Associate Professor Michelle Telfer, Acting Chief of Medicine at the Royal Children's Hospital, is a leading Paediatrician and Adolescent Medicine Physician. Formerly Director of the Royal Children's Hospital Gender Service, she expanded trans-specific health care programs and advised the Victorian Government on transgender health through the Trans and Gender Diverse Expert Advisory Group. She contributed expert testimony to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, developed national clinical guidelines for trans and gender-diverse youth, and supported landmark legal reforms for hormone and surgical treatments.

This episode was recorded on 9 May 2023.

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Australian politician, she served in the Victorian Parliament from 2006 to 2022 and was Victoria's first female Agriculture Minister. She led major reforms including the establishment of the medicinal cannabis industry. As Minister for Employment, she guided Jobs Victoria through the pandemic, supporting small businesses during lockdowns. In her role as Minister for Innovation, she secured mRNA vaccine capabilities for Melbourne. In 2023, she was appointed a Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

This episode was recorded on 04 April 2023.

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Nicola Phillips is the Provost of the University (Academic Lead, Chancellery) and the standing deputy to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. Nicola’s academic interests lie in the areas of global political economy, development, and economic governance. In this discussion, Nicola talks about her motivations for pursuing a career in political science and the University's dedication to ensuring a safe and respectful campus environment.

This episode was recorded on 6 December 2022
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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Associate Professor Shawana Andrews, a Trawlwoolway Palawa woman from Northeastern Tasmania, is the Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and an Associate Professor in Social Work. She leads initiatives on Indigenous leadership and academic pathways in health. At the Poche Centre, she fosters international partnerships to advance her work. Her research covers Aboriginal graduate experiences, health leadership, mothering practices, family violence, feminisms, and cultural methodologies.

This episode was recorded on 18 November 2022.

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lou Harms is the Chair and Head of Social Work at the University of Melbourne, and Deputy Head of the School of Health Sciences, in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. From 2015 to 2019, Lou was Associate Dean (Diversity and Inclusion) for MDHS, reflective of her long-standing concern with facilitating structural and cultural change. Lou’s research focuses on the interplay between adversity, growth and recovery at both an individual and community level.

This episode was recorded on 19 September 2022. 

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Connect with us on Twitter at @MDHSdiversity or by email at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Melbourne. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. Find out more about our Inspiring Webinar series: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ik7i

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.