Get to know the new 2018 executive members

Laura Navarro
Early- and Mid-Career Researcher Policy and Events Coordinator
 

Besides a new Chair, 2018 also brought us new members to the Forum’s executive: six to be precise. We are really excited to welcome Vanessa Wong, Adrian Murdock, Emma Beckett, Justine Shaw, Gina Ravenscroft and Michael Bowen to the team.

Vanessa Wong is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) and she is deeply passionate about talking to the general public about the importance of soils. She joins the EMCR Forum executive committee from Monash University.

Adrian Murdock is from CSIRO and his research focuses on making and studying new nanomaterials. He has also been a guest science presenter for BBC Radio Oxford.

Emma Beckett also appears regularly on local and national radio, where she busts myths about nutrition. In her day job she is an NHMRC Early Career Fellow at the University of Newcastle, studying the interactions between our genes, the food we eat and the environment we live in.

Justine Shaw is a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, but she spends most of her time in Tasmania, Antarctica or somewhere in the sea between the two. Justine’s research focuses on Antarctic conservation and she is co-founder of Women in Polar Science and one of the leaders of the Homeward Bound leadership program.

Gina Ravenscroft is a Team Leader at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medial Research where she investigates the genetics of rare neurogenetic diseases. She is also very active in advocating for support for researchers within Western Australia at the university level, to funding bodies and to parliament.

Michael Bowen strives to find drugs to treat brain disorders at the University of Sydney where he is Senior Lecturer. In 2016 Michael was inducted into the World Economic Forum’s Young Scientists Community, which recognised the top 50 scientists around the world aged under 40.

Our new members were officially welcomed to the 2018 executive at the EMCR Forum annual planning meeting in February at the Australian Academy of Science. Vanessa, Emma, Gina, Michael, Justine and Adrian now join the new Chair, Drew Evans, Deputy Chairs, Roisin McMahon and Hamish Clarke, and past Chair, Carly Rosewarne.

Our new members come from all around the country and have different science backgrounds. But they all share their passion and drive for making the world a better, more inclusive and diverse place for EMCRs. We can’t wait to start working with them and continue creating amazing opportunities for EMCRs.