In collaboration with
Senior Lecturer | School of Allied Health | Curtin University
Can you tell us a little about your role with MHEX?
I recently joined MHEX and am excited to collaborate with clinicians and researchers across several studies. My current projects are primarily involving young people with cancer, and sexual and gender diversity research.
My passion for research began early in my clinical work as an AEP supporting young people with cancer. Each day I would see how exercise improved their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing, but the research to support this was limited. That disconnect inspired me to pursue research, to find evidence for what I saw every day in practice, and help contribute to making it standard of care.
What’s the part of your work you enjoy the most? And the most challenging?
I love seeing the real-world impact of our research on young people’s lives. It’s incredibly rewarding to help engage them in something meaningful, like exercise, especially when they’re at their most vulnerable. Knowing our work is making a difference in those moments is what drives me.
The biggest challenge I face is the human side of the research that I conduct. Offering exercise interventions to young people with cancer brings me such joy, but the flipside is not every young person has good outcomes, not every young person survives and reconciling that is hard.
When you are not at work where can you be found?
Camping, hiking, and getting stuck into DIY renovations on my house
How would your colleagues describe you in three words?
Driven, Hype-girl, Doer
Do you have a favourite quote, motto, or piece of advice that guides you?
“…I began to realise how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. … if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be”
If you weren’t in research, what job could you see your self doing?
My hobby job would be a florist/coffee shop/ co-working space by day and wine bar by night.
Finally, what would you say to someone interested in starting a career in research?
It will take longer than you think and there will be setbacks, so surround yourself with people who motivate and inspire you, who challenge you to work hard and push the boundaries. Finally, keep it real-world: design for application, and involve clinicians and consumers from the start.
Meet more of the MHEX team
The MHEX Team acknowledges all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Custodians of Country and recognises their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, and present.
We are committed to embracing diversity and eliminating all forms of discrimination through education and inclusive communities. We welcome all people and are respectful of individual identities.