HEAL 2022 Conference Website

HEAL Network

The vision of the Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) Network is to catalyse research, knowledge exchange and translation into policy and practice that will bring measurable improvements to our health, the Australian health system, and the environment.
The HEAL Network is a broad coalition of 100 investigators and more than 30 organisations from across Australia that aims to bridge the gap between knowledge and action by bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wisdom, sustainable development, epidemiology, and data science and communication to address environmental change and its impacts on health across all Australian states and territories.

HEAL focuses on participatory solutions-driven research that will provide robust scientific evidence to underpin structural policy and practice changes. This evidence should be based on a holistic assessment of costs and benefits, and distributional effects of policies to support long-term solutions.

To meet this need, our collaboration includes Government health and environmental authorities; health sector organisations; Indigenous organisations; and data providers to integrate a complex social, environmental, economic and institutional ecosystem into a cohesive, multidisciplinary research network.

HEAL aims to take national and international leadership in environmental change and health research that will provide the evidence, capacity and capability and tools urgently needed to:

  1. Protect and improve community health, especially at-risk groups and people in regions and communities disproportionately affected by environmental and climate change;
  2. Strengthen health system resilience, preparedness and responsiveness to changing environmental conditions and related diseases, and reduce its environmental impact;
  3. Reduce inequities and inequalities within and across communities and generations.

HEAL Regional Hub Leaders

Professor Sotiris Vardoulakis
Australian National University,
HEAL Director and ACT Hub Leader
Associate Professor Veronica Matthews
UCRH, University of Sydney,
Indigenous Knowledge Systems Theme and NSW Hub Leader
Professor Rebecca Bentley
University of Melbourne,
Urban Health & Built Environment Theme and Victoria Hub Leader
Professor Alan Cass AO
Menzies School of Health Research,
Northern Territory Hub Leader
Professor Cordia Chu
Griffith University,
Science Communication Theme and Queensland Hub Leader
Dr Brad Farrant
Telethon Kids Institute,
Western Australia Hub Leader
Professor Fay Johnston
University of Tasmania,
Bushfires & Air Pollution Theme and Tasmania Hub Leader
Professor Craig Williams
University of South Australia,
South Australia Hub Leader

HEAL Theme Leaders

Associate Professor Linda Ford
Charles Darwin University,
Indigenous Knowledge Systems Theme Leader
Professor Marion Kickett
Curtin University,
Indigenous Knowledge Systems Theme Leader
Professor James Ward
University of Queensland,
Indigenous Knowledge Systems Theme Leader
Distinguished Professor Kerrie Mengersen
QUT,
Data & Decision Support Systems Leader
Dr Ivan Hanigan
Curtin University,
Data & Decision Support Systems Leader
Professor Iain Walker
University of Melbourne,
Science Communication Leader
Professor Alexandra Barratt
University of Sydney,
Health System Resilience and Sustainability Leader
Associate Professor Rebecca Haddock
Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association,
Health System Resilience and Sustainability Leader
Associate Professor Geoff Morgan
University of Sydney,
Bushfires & Air Pollution Theme Leader
Professor Nanthi Bolan
University of Western Australia,
Food, Soil & Water Security Theme Leader
Professor Erica Donner
University of South Australia,
Food, Soil & Water Security Theme Leader
Professor Wenbiao Hu
QUT,
Biosecurity & Emerging Infections Theme Leader
Professor Colleen Lau
University of Queensland,
Biosecurity & Emerging Infections Theme Leader
Associate Professor Xiaoqi Feng
University of New South Wales,
Urban Health & Built Environment Theme Leader
Professor John Wakerman
Menzies School of Health Research,
Rural & Remote Health Theme Leader
Professor Ross Bailie
University of Sydney,
Rural & Remote Health Theme Leader
Professor Phillip Hansbro
Centenary Institute & UTS,
At-Risk Populations Theme Leader
Dr Caitlin Wyrwoll
University of Western Australia,
At-risk Populations and & Life Course Solutions Theme Leader
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