The Western NSW Health Research Awards provide attendees with an opportunity to recognise the wonderful achievements of health research in our region. Awards are presented at the conclusion of Day 1 of our WHRN annual symposiums to celebrate the dedicated clinicians and academics in our region.
About the Awards
Western NSW Health Research Academic Leader of the Year Award
This award recognises an established researcher who has demonstrated sustained leadership and impact in advancing rural and regional health research across Far Western and Western NSW. Nominees should demonstrate excellence in research translation, collaboration, mentorship, and contribution to improving health outcomes for rural communities.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, nominees must:
- Be currently undertaking health or medical research relevant to improving rural and regional health outcomes in Far Western or Western NSW.
- Hold an academic, clinical-academic, or research leadership position within a university, health service, research institute, or affiliated organisation.
- Demonstrate an established track record of research leadership within Western / Far Western NSW.
- Have not been the recipient of the award in the previous 3 years.
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed on:
- Demonstrated leadership in rural health or medical research.
- Contribution to research translation, policy, service improvement.
- Success in developing research capacity within rural or regional settings, including number and scope of projects, grants, awards etc.
- Mentorship of emerging researchers, clinicians, or students.
- Collaboration across universities, health services, communities, and/or Aboriginal organisations.
- Research outputs, including publications, grants, presentations, implementation activities, or partnerships.
- Commitment to addressing the health needs of rural, regional, and remote populations.
The Catherine Hawke Emerging Researcher of the Year Award
This award recognises an early-career researcher or early-career researcher-clinician demonstrating strong potential and commitment to rural health research in Western or Far Western NSW.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, nominees must:
- Be an early-career clinician, researcher, academic, trainee, or student undertaking health research in Western or Far Western NSW.
- Be within 5 years of commencing a research career, excluding career interruptions.
- Be currently undertaking or have recently completed a research project relevant to improving health outcomes for Western / Far Western NSW.
- Be employed by an organisation that focuses on rural health in Western NSW (for instance government health organisation, university or community-controlled organisation)
- Have not been the recipient of this award. Please note, winners can only receive this award once in their career.
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed on:
- Demonstrated commitment to rural or regional health research with dissemination examples including presentations, publications, or proactive implementation efforts.
- Quality, relevance and translational impact of research undertaken.
- Contribution to improved patient care, health service delivery, education, or community outcomes.
- Evidence of initiative and / or innovation.
- Potential for future leadership in rural health research.
- Demonstrated engagement with multidisciplinary teams, consumers, and / or communities.
Western NSW Clinical Research Leader of the Year Award
This award recognises a clinician who has demonstrated excellence in integrating research into clinical practice to improve health outcomes in rural and regional communities.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, nominees must:
- Have a minimum of five years of service as a clinician within Far Western or Western NSW Local Health Districts.
- Be a clinician from a nursing, allied health, medical, or midwifery background.
- Have completed and published translational research relevant to the Far West or Western NSW region.
- Have not been the recipient of the award in the previous 3 years.
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed on:
- Demonstrated leadership in clinical research relevant to improving practice and / or policy in Western NSW.
- Research has improved patient outcomes, workforce capability, or service delivery in Western NSW.
- Demonstrate collaborations across disciplines, services, and / or organisations.
- Mentorship or support of other clinicians, students, or emerging researchers.
- Research outputs, quality improvement initiatives, or implementation outcomes.
- Commitment to advancing a culture of research within rural clinical settings with practical workplace examples.
First Nations Health Research Award
This award recognises a researcher or research team that has undertaken culturally safe, community-informed, and impactful Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health research in Western NSW. The research has included Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researchers, Aboriginal community members or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander leaders.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, nominees (individual researchers or research teams) must:
- Be actively involved in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health research in Far Western or Western NSW.
- Be researching an area of health research that aims to improve the health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities in Western NSW.
- It is expected that all research in this category:
- Has local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community support, has an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Steering / Advisory Committee in place, and has AHMRC approval.
- Has Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people on the research team.
- Have not been the recipient of the award in the previous 3 years.
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed on:
- Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and wellbeing.
- Demonstrated commitment to culturally safe and community-led research practices.
- Engagement and partnership with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations.
- Contribution to improving health equity and outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in rural and regional NSW, especially Western NSW.
- Demonstrates leadership, advocacy, mentorship, or capacity building within Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health research.
- Demonstrates research translation, dissemination, and / or community impact.
Rural Clinical Trials Researcher of the Year Award
This award recognises an individual or team who has demonstrated outstanding contribution to the development, delivery, or leadership of clinical trials in rural and regional NSW.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, nominees (individuals or teams) must:
- Be actively involved in developing or leading clinical trials research in Western and Far Western NSW.
- Work within a health service, university, clinical trials unit, or affiliated organisation.
- Have contributed to the establishment, governance, coordination, conduct, leadership, or translation of rural clinical trials in Western and Far Western NSW.
- Have not been the recipient of the award in the previous 3 years.
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed on:
- Contribution to expanding access to clinical trials for rural and regional populations.
- Leadership in the development or delivery of clinical trials in rural settings.
- Demonstrated collaboration across sites, disciplines, or organisations.
- Contribution to patient-centred research and equitable research participation.
- Innovation in rural trial delivery, recruitment, governance, or implementation.
- Research outputs, trial outcomes, or impact on clinical practice.
- Contribution to building clinical trials capability and workforce capacity in rural NSW.
The Tony Brown Greater Western Human Research Ethics Committee (GWHREC) Ethics Application Award
This award recognises the highest quality ethics application received by the GWHREC in the preceding 12 months (demonstrates excellence in research in the following key areas: research governance, ethical conduct, participant safety, and rigorous research design; quality of writing.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Have submitted a research application to the Greater Western Human Research Ethics Committee within the preceding 12 months (July 1 to June 30 each year prior to the WHRN conference)
- Be conducting research relevant to Western and Far Western NSW communities or health services.
Criteria
Members of the GWHREC will review the applications for the preceding 12 months, and will advise the WHRN Co-Chairs of their winner for the most highly commendable ethics application. The Co-Chairs and/or A/Prof Tony Brown will present this award at the WHRN annual awards gala dinner.
Western NSW Researcher of the Year Honour Board
| Aboriginal Health Researcher of the Year |
Clinical Research Leader of the Year |
The Catherine Hawke Emerging Researcher of the Year |
Health Research Academic Leader |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Professor Michelle Dickson WNSWLHD |
Rodney Hammond WNSWLHD |
Amanda Wright Charles Sturt University |
Kerrie Noonan WNSWLHD |
| 2024 | Amy Davidson | Alison Devitt | Kristie Sweeney | Dr Emma Webster and Dr Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu |
| 2023 | Ms Lynette Bullen Senior Drug and Alcohol Clinician Western NSW Local Health District |
Paired Nomination Ms Madeline Hubbard and Ms Julie Dorling Clinical Midwifery Consultants Dubbo Health Service Western NSW Local Health District |
Joint Winners Ms Anna Noonan School of Rural Health University of Sydney Dr Kevin Tree Western NSW Local Health District |
A/Prof Julaine Allan Charles Sturt University |
| 2022 | A/Prof Linda Deravin Charles Sturt University |
Joint Winners Dr Shannon Nott Rural Health Director of Medical Services (WNSWLHD) Virtual Care Accelerator (eHealth) and Chair Virtual Care Community of Practice (ACI) Dr Peter Fox Medical Oncologist Orange Health Service Western NSW Local Health District |
Joint Winners Danielle Allen Prevention and Response for Violence Abuse and Neglect Pathway Coordinator Western NSW Local Health District Cristen Fleming Virtual Pharmacy Service Western NSW Local Health District |
A/Prof Melissa Nott Three Rivers Department of Rural Health Charles Sturt University |
| 2021 | Mrs Deborah Kenna Western NSW Local Health District |
Ms Jacqueline Spurway Western NSW Local Health District |
Joint Winners Morwenna Williams Improvement Lead – Maternity and Neonatal Safety Programs Lynette Bullen Senior Drug and Alcohol Clinician Western NSW Local Health District |
Dr Emily Saurman Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health University of Sydney |
| 2020 | Ms Gemma Purcell-Khodr PhD candidate University of Sydney |
Dr Florian Honeyball Medical Oncologist and Chair District Cancer Services Clinical Stream Western NSW Local Health District |
Brett Chambers Virtual Clinical Pharmacy Service Western NSW Local Health District |
Dr Emma Webster School of Rural Health University of Sydney |
| 2019 | Dr Rob Zielinski Western NSW Local Health District |
Josie Newton Bila Muuji Aboriginal Corporation and University of Technology |
Dr Julaine Allan Western NSW Local Health District |
|
| 2018 | Mr Matt Thomas Marathon Health |
Catherine Bourke Western NSW Local Health District |
Dr Georgina Luscombe School of Rural Health University of Sydney |