Previous Future Summit Award Winners

2011

Mr Mark Boulet, Manager, Education Programs, Monash Sustainability Institute

Mark Boulet has worked in the environmental sustainability field for over 10 years, within the tertiary sector, state government and the community sector. Mark specialises in environmental education and training, excelling through his leadership of the award winning Green Steps program run by the Monash Sustainability Institute (MSI), along with MSI's other education and training programs. Under Mark's leadership, these programs have expanded considerably.

Mark is a passionate advocate for building people's capacity to respond positively to the challenges of climate change and other environmental issues, both at home and at work, through providing hands-on practical skills that focus on what can be done now. Through Green Steps, tertiary students and workers acquire new skills to drive positive environmental change within organisations and the wider community. Over 500 people have taken part in the program, which has worked with over 300 organisations Australia wide.

Under Mark's guidance, Green Steps has continued to expand as a national program, partnering with a number of universities across Australia. The program has also gained national recognition as a cutting edge and innovative sustainability education program, winning the Education categories in the 2009 Banksia Environmental Awards, the 2010 Victorian Premier's Sustainability Awards and the 2010 World Environment Day Awards of the United Nations Association of Australia.

Mark's leading contribution to environmental education was recently recognised by Fairfax media when he was listed as one of the Top 100 most influential and inspiring people for 2010 by the Melbourne Magazine.

Associate Professor Karen Hapgood, Deputy Head, Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Karen is Deputy Head of Department in Chemical Engineering and a member of Faculty Board. She has also held roles as both Secretary and President of the Australasian Particle Technology Society. Leading research to develop modern approaches to pharmaceutical manufacturing, Karen collaborates with the Australian pharmacuetical industry and professional bodies.

She received the prestigious New Investigator in Pharmaceutical Technology award from The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) in 2006.

Highly regarded for her impact in industry, Karen was successfully nominated by the Australasian branch of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE) to be a member of the Therapeutic Goods committee, which advises the Australian government (via the TGA) on the appropriate standards for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Her contribution to Perry's Chemical Engineering Handbook (the authoritative source of information for practising chemical engineers) is another testament to her impact on the field. She was also awarded the 2010 Uhde-Shedden Medal for services to the profession and field of chemical engineering by a person under 40.

In addition, Karen has been the top lecturer in Chemical Engineering since joining in 2006 and now routinely scores in the top 5% of all units in the Faculty of Engineering and top 10% in the University. Although her in-class teaching is outstanding it is her "outside the classroom" attitude and respect for students which truly distinguishes her from other lecturers. Karen spearheaded the development of the Pharmaceutical Engineering/ Chemical Engineering double degree program which is now in its 5th year. Karen's teaching efforts were rewarded by receiving the 2008 Monash Engineering Dean's Teaching Award and a 2010 ALTC Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching Excellence.

Mr Greg Phillips, Advisor to the Dean, Indigenous Health, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Gregory Phillips is from the Waanyi and Jaru Aboriginal peoples and comes from Mount Isa in North West Queensland, Greg is a medical anthropologist and the Acting Head of the Harvest Alliance School for Indigenous Health.

Prior to coming to Monash, Greg worked on projects of national significance including leading the development of a national Indigenous health curriculum framework for medical schools, founding the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network, and writing a national Indigenous health workforce strategy for the federal government. In 2009, Greg was also the Co-Chair and then Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation.

Greg's masters by research, Addictions and Healing in Aboriginal Country was published as a book in 2003and he is now working on a PhD thesis focussing on the important subject of healing as a mode of personal and community rehabilitation for Indigenous Australia.

Greg's earlier awards and commendations include Dean's Excellence List at UQ in 2001, RN Hammon Science Prize at UQ in 1998-2000, NH&MRC Research Training Scholarship for Aboriginal Health in 1998-99 and Dean's Honor List at California State University in Sacramento, USA, in 1993.

2010

Associate Professor Alex Collie, Chief Research Officer, Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research

Before joining Monash, Alex was inaugural Executive Director of the Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative Pty Ltd, the nation's largest research fund for brain and spinal cord injury. He led the development of this organization which positively impacts the lives of individuals with neurotrauma.

Alex is also an emerging research leader whose work has the potential to profoundly improve the quality of life of many thousands of Australians with disabilities and chronic disease. His current research focuses on some significant and complex health and social issues facing Australia. Specifically, he conducts research on the use of legislative and other regulatory mechanisms to impact the health and social outcomes of those with significant injuries or chronic diseases. Alex works closely with industry and government organisations to ensure that their policy and practice is informed by research evidence.

Alex has also driven the establishment of the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research at Monash, in partnership with WorkSafe Victoria and the Transport Accident Commission. This close relationship provides a pathway for the translation of research outcomes into policy and practice, ensuring that much of the work of the Institute benefits injured Australians.

Alex is also a Director of a number of not-for-profit organizations that seek research-led improvements to the health of individuals with chronic disease.

Professor Sarah Joseph, Director for the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law.

Professor Sarah Joseph is the Director for the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law.  

Sarah's appointment to professorship at a relatively young age, her participation in the Prime Minister's 2020 Summit, her extensive research and teaching record, and her record of engagement with the media all attest to her position as a leader in the field.

Sarah was instrumental in the establishment of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law. Under her leadership, the Castan Centre vigorously promotes respect for human rights law in Australia, particularly through the adoption of a Human Rights Act.

Sarah's research has been at the forefront of many of the world's critical issues in the area of human rights. She is recognized as a world authority on the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights, corporations and human rights, and the World Trade Organisation and human rights.

Sarah has a long record of collaboration with her peers, both in Australia and internationally. Her work has been cited extensively by human rights academics and other professionals around the world, indicating that her ideas resonate on a global scale.

Ms Anna Skarbek, Executive Director, ClimateWorks Australia, Monash Sustainability Institute

Anna has 10 years' experience working in climate change action in investment, policy and advisory roles. After working in London's financial markets at specialist investment bank Climate Change Capital, she committed herself to a non-profit organization dedicated to achieving omissions reduction actions in Australia.

As Executive Director of ClimateWorks Australia, a non-profit partnership between Monash University and The Myer foundation, Anna is recognized as a leader in her field and among her peers. She has a clear vision for the future action required in Australia, informed by ground-breaking analysis she led with McKinsey & Co to build a sequenced roadmap for business and government to identify practical actions to reduce emissions in the Australian economy, including costs and implementation hurdles as well as their relative risk of lock-in.

In addition, Anna has held community leadership positions including directorships of Amnesty International Australia and the Big Issue magazine.

Dr Samantha Thomas, Senior Research Fellow and Health Sociologist, Department of Marketing

Dr Samantha Thomas is a Senior Research Fellow and Health Sociologist at the Department of Marketing. She specialises in risk behaviours, social marketing campaigns and understanding the impact of advertising on health and social behaviours.

Samantha graduated with a PhD in Community Health from the University of Auckland. Prior to joining Monash, she worked at the World Health Organisation (Geneva), the Institute of Psychiatry (London) and King's College London.

Since joining Monash, Samantha has received grants from a range of organisations including the ARC, NHMRC, Victorian Department of Justice and the AFL Research Board. Samantha has conducted research exploring: The experiences of British military personel deployed to the Iraq War; The experiences of separated refugee children in the United Kingdom; The reasons why families agree to organ donation; The mental health pathways of individuals in forensic mental health care; and the health and wellbeing of journalists deployed to war zones.

Her recent grants include an ARC Discovery Grant (2011) exploring the ways in which Australian families interpret and respond to weight messaging. She has also conducted research funded by the Department of Justice investigating how the Victorian public interpret the risks and benefits associated with gambling.

In 2009, Samantha was chosen by The Weekend Australian as one of the Top Ten Emerging Health Leaders in Australia.

2009

Professor Brian Falzon, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Brian Falzon is one of Australia's emerging leaders in research, development and education in the crucially important advanced manufacturing industries, such as aerospace and automotive engineering. Following a distinguished undergraduate record at the University of Sydney he undertook a PhD with scholarship support and working closely with industry. This was followed by a stellar career at Imperial College in the United Kingdom, where he rapidly progressed to the position of Reader. At the time of his leaving he was responsible for the Imperial aerospace undergraduate degree, which is the most highly regarded degree in this discipline in Europe and one of the best in the world.

Monash attracted Brian back to Australia to fill the Foundation Chair in Aerospace Engineering at Australia's largest university.

Brian has an international reputation, having taken leading roles in a number of committees in Europe and linking them with developing countries. He was Chairman of the GARTEUR (Group of Aeronautical Research and Technology in Europe) Action Group AG 28 (2003-2005). He also has been involved in innovative research that has resulted in patents and has taken a key role in the London Technology Network, established to promote technology transfer from academia to industry. He is a co-founder of Veryan Medical Limited, a company spin-off from Imperial College, which is in the process of developing a number of new implantable vascular devices.

2008

Dr Gareth Forde, Department of Chemical Engineering

Gareth Forde came to Chemical Engineering as a new PhD graduate with VESKI Fellowship and in a relatively short time established a strong research group and developed an undergraduate curriculum for our BBiomedical Sciences-BE double degree and the Chemical Engineering components of the new BBiotechnology degree offered by the university.

Gareth designed and established the Bio Engineering Laboratory and now manages it on behalf of the Faculty. Gareth's research interests are wide, encompassing greenhouse gas capture, renewable fuels and improving vaccines. Gareth is part of a team backed by industry and an ARC Linkage grant looking at how algae can be used to capture the greenhouse gases of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides. Algae can grow 200 times faster than other plants and are responsible for creating 70% of the oxygen that we breathe, so they offer a solution to how to deal with greenhouse gases. The same algae used to capture greenhouse gases can be used to make transport like diesel. The algae contain oils that can be converted into transport fuel. As an example of Gareth's work on vaccines, one of his projects is to create a particle that can deliver a DNA prime-and-protein-boost vaccine via nasal inhalation. This technology could be of huge benefit to immunize large numbers of people in areas where there is less access to trained medical staff, or in the case of a pandemic.

Gareth developed a reputation as a great communicator, regularly making presentations to parents and potential students at Open Day, to school students and to new students at enrolment time. He also took every opportunity to communicate the nature of his research interests to the wider public.

Associate Professor James Friend, Director of the Micro-Nano Robotics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering

James Friend is the director of the Micro-Nano Robotics Laboratory (MNRL) at Monash University, a new, world recognised research group investigating novel application of nano-engineering in medical, industrial and biological industries. As a leader in this field, James has appeared in numerous public forums (ABC Catalyst, radio programs etc). James' leadership ability is evident from the extraordinary resources (financial, human, etc) he has been able to attract to the MNRL from a range of sources.

Dr Friend has engaged in a wide array of projects, conducting research into swimming microrobots for neurosurgery, supported by the ARC and the Cass Foundation,as well as studying a microcatheter tip robot for rapid navigation in neurosurgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. With the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, he has investigated in-vivo metastasis of cancer detection. At the same time, his group has worked on the portable pulmonary drug delivery of fluid droplets of insulin with Nanotechnology Victoria.

Together with the Australian Stem Cell Centre, Dr Friend has researched the rapid infusion of live stem cells into implantable structures for organ generation and injury treatment. He has also studyied high frequency atomisation to form nanoparticles of polymer and drugs for immune system treatment. Finally, in conjunction with the Australian Commonwealth Cabinet Counter-Terrorism Group, Dr Friend has worked on developing a portable microsensor system for detecting anthrax.

Dr Friend enjoys the challenge of working in this multidisciplinary field, and is excited by the benefits his group's research has for business and society.