Research Fellow
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Dr Maria Alejandra Pinero de Plaza is a scientist committed to facilitating healthy living and better public health services through knowledge translation and health research. She is a Research Fellow at Flinders University and the National Health and Medical Research Council, Centre of Research Excellence in Frailty and Healthy Ageing. Her studies focus on designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions regarding behaviour change, high-tech solutions, and partnering with end-users to ensure better access, care, equity, safety, and quality services to improve health outcomes and well-being.
In 2020-22, Dr Pinero de Plaza investigations were accepted/published in these Q1 journals:
Dr Pinero de Plaza won the Vice-President & Executive Dean's Awards 2021, "for the FEARLESS embodiment of the University values in Research", and the 2021 Consumer Health Forum video competition: 'Big Ideas' to improve the Australian health care system. She has secured prestigious awards, attracting more than $AUD1,495,221 worth of grant funding as Associate Investigator (AI) and Chief Investigator (CI):
Dr Pinero de Plaza brings a multidisciplinary background in health promotion, behaviour, and health. Her PhD investigated ways of mapping out healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns for global but targeted health interventions. She has also studied computerised methods of evaluating consumer behaviours and memory accuracy concerning brand recognition and product design in marketing science.
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Adelaide/ Flinders University (2019-2021); NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence.
Doctor of Philosophy, Field of Research 111712 –Health Promotion; SEO: 920401- Behaviour and Health. Funded: Australian Postgraduate Award. Deakin University (2013-2017).
Master of Marketing Science, upgraded to PhD, Funded: Australian Postgraduate Award. University of South Australia (2010-2013).
Postgraduate training: Social Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Religion and Ecology. Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC). Advanced Studies Centre (2004-2006).
BD/ Master/ Licentiate in Mass Communication (Social Communication, Journalism, Public Relations & Advertising) Andrés Bello Catholic University (1993-1998).
Dr Pinero has been impacting the consumer engagement processes with health research. She:
The Health Consumer Advisory/Advocacy Network of South Australia (Health CAN SA - the Network) is a group of health consumers who believe the people, who pay for, fund and use health services in South Australia should be able to inform and influence how those services are designed and delivered. The Network recognises and promotes the strong body of evidence that partnering with health consumers ensures greater access and equity, and safety and quality health care, and improves health outcomes.