UNIVERSITY of Newcastle researchers working to help people from diverse backgrounds kick the smoking habit have been honoured for their contributions to the field.
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The university’s Professor Billie Bonevski and Associate Professor Gillian Gould were presented with awards by the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs (APSAD) on Wednesday night for their research into stopping smoking.
Professor Bonevski was awarded the APSAD Mentor Award for her work leading a team researching the field of smoking cessation for priority groups, such as people who are socio-economically disadvantaged.
The award recognises an individual who has made an important contribution to mentoring and supporting the career development of others, an area of passion for Professor Bonevski.
“I view supporting the careers of my students and mentees, promoting excellence, and building the workforce capacity of tobacco smoking cessation researchers as a privilege and key component of my role as a research academic,” she said.
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Recognised as a leader in providing a voice for the university’s gender equity action plan, Professor Bonevski has recently been appointed as the Chair for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine.
Associate Professor Gould, a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Cancer Institute NSW Research Fellow, received the APSAD Early Career Award for excellence in research relative to career opportunities.
Associate Professor Gould leads a new research stream in smoking cessation among Indigenous people. She had a particular interest in smoking prevention among pregnant Indigenous women.
“I value respectful community-based participatory research and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities, upholding the importance of Indigenous culture and knowledge,” she said.
APSAD president Anthony Gill said the awards acknowledged the significant contributions to AOD science, practice, and mentorship.
“The achievements of the 2018 APSAD Awards recipients, and the diverse areas within which they work, reflect the strength and talent that have won our region global recognition in the alcohol and other drugs field,” Dr Gill said.
“Considering the comparative size of the AOD sector in Australasia, we are exceeding all expectations in terms of the calibre of people and research produced.”
Researching in conjunction with the Hunter Medical Research Institute, Professor Bonevski and Associate Professor Gould were presented their awards yesterday at the annual APSAD Scientific Alcohol and Drug Conference in Auckland.
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