Supporting the next generation of prevention leaders

Professor Gary Sacks, Dr Jaithri Ananathapavan, Professor Luke Wolfenden and Associate Professor Louise Freebairn credit their early association with the Prevention Centre as having a fundamental influence on shaping their careers. Speaking at a recent meeting of the Prevention Centre’s Leadership Executive, they acknowledged the significant role the Prevention Centre has played in supporting early and mid-career researchers through funding for innovative research, leadership opportunities, and connections to a national network of policy makers and practitioners.

The Prevention Centre is proud to continue to support the next generation of prevention leaders in Australia.

Having links to a network of policy makers has been absolutely critical. The Prevention Centre has provided a range of opportunities for early careers researchers, including leadership positions and the chance to learn from others at a national level.

Professor Gary Sacks

Dr Jaithri Avanthapavan has also been awarded a number of accolades for her work in health economics and she is quick to credit the Prevention Centre for being willing to take risks with early career researchers.

My work with the Prevention Centre has been the basis of my impact story. It has shaped what I do and I am very grateful.

Dr Jaithri Avanthapavan

For Professor Luke Wolfenden, his early introduction to the Prevention Centre provided a “tremendous leg-up” for his career. From attending a workshop on scale-up to now leading the National Centre of Implementation Science (NCOIS), he can also track the trajectory of his career through the connections facilitated by the Prevention Centre.

Being part of Prevention Centre fold was transformational for me. To hear the views of leading researchers and government officials on the future of our field was incredibly valuable and something you don’t have access to in any other forum.

Professor Luke Wolfenden

Associate Professor Louise Freebairn said her connection with the Prevention Centre has fast tracked her research career and has also opened the door for her colleagues, providing a mechanism to connect with others. She was particularly grateful for our science communications support to transform epidemiological data into policy-relevant briefs.

The Prevention Centre is the go-to organistion for population health and prevention research. People see it as a really trusted source of evidence that is easy to access and understand.

Associate Professor Louise Freebairn

Read more about the career-shaping support for the researchers quoted above in our retrospective on the last decade of the Prevention Centre here.

More than 300 prevention researchers, policy makers and practitioners are currently members of our Emerging Leaders Network with access to a range of networking opportunities such as the annual Emerging Leaders Symposium. We have exciting plans for 2024 and look forward to hearing more success stories from early and mid-career professionals who benefit from our national network of connections.

Find out more on the Emerging Leaders Network here.