FHMRI Health Equity Impact Program

The FHMRI Health Equity Impact Program (HEIP) brings together researchers from a wide range of backgrounds with a shared interest in promoting safe, inclusive, and equitable places and spaces where people live, learn, work and play.

This is critical for the promotion and advancement of both individual and population health and wellbeing.

Evidence demonstrates that place-based approaches which pay attention to local social and cultural contexts are essential for promoting health equity and ensuring culturally responsive and inclusive health policies, services, and programs.

HEIP aims to foster collaborations and partnerships that address these issues.

HEIP will include researchers undertaking work in clusters relating to:

Aboriginal health and wellbeing
Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing
Rural and remote health
Migrant and refugee health
Promoting health and wellbeing through online spaces
Promoting health and wellbeing through sports settings and spaces
Workplace health promotion
Strengthening health and medical education spaces
Spaces that respond to the lived experience of mental health and illness

Our research

HEIP will extend beyond specific health issues, and behavioural risk factors, to focus more comprehensively on the social, cultural, and environmental determinants of healthy places and spaces, and their potential to create and sustain more equitable and inclusive health and social outcomes.

Research projects

Arnhem Digital Stepped Model of Care

Australian Fan’s In Training (Aussie-FIT)

Enough Talk Time for Action (ETTA)

Transforming HEalth and Wellbeing Outcomes from Injury for Aboriginal and Torres Strait IsLander Children – The HEAL Cohort Study (NHMRC Clinical Trial & Cohort Studies Grant) (2025-Current) ($4,998,544.50)

IMPACT (MRFF) (2024-Current) ($999,181.20)

Road Traffic (LSA) (2022-Current) ($4,241,240)

SMART-PH - Digitising Information for Practice in Public Health. 2024. MRFF NCRI ($2,999,842.28).

Targeting Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Expenditure through Citizen Sciences with Aboriginal Communities. 2024. MRFF, ($997,153).

Implementation of the YBMenNT online social and emotional wellbeing health promotion program for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males. 2023. Movember Foundation – Digital Social Connections Challenge (Phase 2). ($399,766)

Transforming Injury for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children through Innovative Knowledge Gain and Co-designed Intervention. 2022. NHMRC, ($642,650).

Knowledge interface co-design of a diabetes and metabolic syndrome intervention with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living on Ngarrindjeri country. 2022, MRFF, ($756,623).

Key publications

Community engagement

With a commitment to community-led research translation, artworks by Aboriginal artists have been commissioned to communicate key research messages in culturally meaningful ways. These works were developed through artist briefs and close collaboration with local Aboriginal artists, commissioned by the Discipline of Trauma & Injury.

The artworks reflect relational approaches to science communication – centring Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing – and aim to amplify Aboriginal voices, challenge deficit narratives, and share research outcomes in ways that resonate with community.

Learn more about the stories and meanings behind each artwork here.

Ngarrindjeri Bush Tucker, (Aunty Ros Richards)

Community Connections Support Service, (Collette Gray)

Yayan for the Mi:wi, (Talia Scriven (née Rigney))

“Wruwalun Mi:wi” Hoping/Believing Inner Spirit/Soul, (Talia Scriven (née Rigney))

“Tumbetun Ruwi” Healing Country, (Talia Scriven (née Rigney))

HEIP Group members

Co-Directors

Associate Professor Courtney Ryder

Co-Director FHMRI HEIP & Cluster Lead for Aboriginal Health

Matthew Flinders Fellow. Discipline Lead Injury Studies, Public Health

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Professor James Smith

Co-Director FHMRI HEIP & Co-Lead Rural and Remote Health Cluster

Matthew Flinders Professor (Health & Social Equity). Deputy Dean Rural and Remote Health NT

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Leads

Professor Anna Ziersch

Cluster Lead for Migrant and Refugee Health

Professorial Research Fellow, Public Health

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Professor Jaqui Hughes

Cluster Lead for Torres Strait Islander Health & Wellbeing

Matthew Flinders Professor (Medical Education), Professor of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Advancement, Rural and Remote Health

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Dr Nayia Cominos

Cluster Co-Lead for Strengthening Health and Medical Education Spaces

Medical Education

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Dr Melissa Opozda

Cluster Lead for Online Spaces

Research Fellow (Men’s Mental Health)

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Dr Bryce Brickley

Cluster Lead for Sports Settings and Spaces

Research Fellow (Men’s Health), Rural and Remote Health

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Associate Professor Karla Canuto

Lead, Research Capacity Building

Matthew Flinders Fellow. Director, Indigenous Leadership – Rural and Remote Health

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Dr Noemi Tari-Keresztes

Cluster Lead for Lived Experience in Mental Health and Illness

Senior Research Fellow (Lived Experience), Rural and Remote Health

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Professor Jacqueline Bowden

Cluster Lead for Workplace Health

Director, National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA)

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Associate Professor Emma Kennedy

Cluster Co-Lead for Strengthening Health and Medical Education Spaces

Medical Education

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Professor Robyn Aitken

Cluster Co-Lead for Rural and Remote Health

Dean Rural and Remote Health

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Members

Learn more

Associate Professor Annabelle Wilson – Aboriginal Health Cluster
Associate Professor Emma Kennedy – Health & Medical Education Cluster
Associate Professor Jacqueline Stephens – Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Associate Professor Kootsy Canuto – Torres Strait Islander Cluster
Associate Professor Tania Shelby-James - Lived Experience in Mental Health Cluster
Dr Ashlea Bartram - Workplace Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Brooke Spaeth – Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Danny Tsai – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Emily Miller – Migrant and Refugee Health Cluster
Dr Joshua Trigg – Online Cluster
Dr Kirrilly Thompson – Workplace Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Leigh Moore - Health & Medical Education Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Megan Bailey – Online Cluster
Dr Meredyth Forsyth - Health & Medical Education Cluster
Dr Moira Walsh – Migrant and Refugee Health Cluster
Dr Nicki Parsons – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Mr Luke Arkapaw – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Mr Nathan Harrison – Workplace Health Cluster
Mr Tobias Speare – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Ms Kim Pearce – Rural and Remote Health Cluster + Mental Health
Ms Kirsty Baker – Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Ms Maddy Bower – Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Ms Pip Henderson – Aboriginal Health Cluster
Ms Shanti Omodei-James – Aboriginal Health Cluster
Professor Claire Drummond – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Professor Sharon Lawn – Lived Experience in Mental Health Cluster

Collaborators

Learn more

Associate Professor Carmel Williams– Centre for Health-in-All-Policies Research Translation (SAHMRI) - Rural and Remote Health Cluster + Research Capacity Building
Associate Professor Dan Ellis – Statewide South Australian Trauma Network - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Associate Professor David Mitchell – NT Department of Health - Lived Experience of Mental Health Cluster
Associate Professor Gerard O’Reily – Alfred Hospital - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Associate Professor Jennifer Cullen – Synapse Australia – Aboriginal Health Cluster
Associate Professor Kalinda Griffiths - Director Poche SA+NT – Aboriginal Health Cluster
Associate Professor Kylie Stothers – Indigenous Allied Health Australia - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Associate Professor Margaret Cargo – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Associate Professor Nicole Williams - Paediatric Major Trauma Service Women's and Children's Hospital - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Associate Professor Tamara Mackean – Discipline Lead of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Aboriginal Health Cluster
Dr Anthea Brand - Orange Health Service – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Brett Shannon – University of Illinois - Aboriginal Health Cluster
Dr Christophe Jackson – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Himanshu Gupta – Lived Experience Mental Health Cluster – Migrant & Refugee Cluster
Dr Julianne Coombes – Gunnu-maana (Heal) The George Institute for Global Health - Aboriginal Health Cluster
Dr Kate Hunter – Gunnu-maana (Heal) The George Institute for Global Health - Aboriginal Health Cluster
Dr Mark De Souza, Senior Staff Specialist - Royal Darwin & Palmerston Hospital – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Dr Oliver Black - Australian National University – Rural and Remote Health Cluster + Aboriginal Health Cluster
Dr Rhiannon Pilkington – Adelaide University – Aboriginal Health Cluster
Dr Shelley Bowen – Health Futures Australia – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Mr Patrick Sharpe – Far West Community Partnerships - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Mr Paul Connelly - Executive Manager Health Workforce, NTPHN – Rural and Remote Health Cluster + Health and Medical Education Cluster
Mrs Cheyne Sullivan – SA Pharmacy - Aboriginal Health Cluster
Mrs Le Smith – Heart Foundation (including lead of Healthy Places Healthy Spaces portfolio) – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Mrs Nicole Clinch – SA Health - Aboriginal Health Cluster
Ms Holly Fitsgerald – KidsSafe SA - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Ms Liz Morgan-Brett - Aboriginal Investment Group – Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Ms Nicole Kelly – Statewide South Australian Trauma Network - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Ms Noelene Armstrong – Founder of NT Lived Experience Network – Lived Experience of Mental Health Cluster
Ms Renee Kropinyeri – Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network - Aboriginal Health Cluster
Ms Stephanie Holmes – Association for Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies NT – Workplace Health Cluster + Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster
Professor Maree Toombs – UNSW – Aboriginal Health Cluster
Professor Paul Worley- Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network - Aboriginal Health Cluster + Rural and Remote Health Cluster + Strengthening Health and Medical Education Spaces
Professor Rebecca Ivers – UNSW – Aboriginal Health Cluster

Contact us

To learn more contact Associate Professor Courtney Ryder or Professor James Smith.

courtney.ryder@flinders.edu.au

james.smith@flinders.edu.au

FHMRI Health Equity Impact Program

The FHMRI Health Equity Impact Program (HEIP) brings together researchers from a wide range of backgrounds with a shared interest in promoting safe, inclusive, and equitable places and spaces where people live, learn, work and play.

This is critical for the promotion and advancement of both individual and population health and wellbeing.