Women's Fellowship paves the way forward

From left to right: Dr Tanya Zivkovic, Dr karla Helbig, Dr lynn Ward and Dr Heather Bray.

The University of Adelaide Barbara Kidman Women's Fellowship is designed to support female academics to enhance and promote their careers. Four researchers from varied disciplines are worthy recipients of a 2014 fellowship.

Dr karla Helbig is using her Fellowship to fund additional research support for her work into immune responses to viruses.

"My research involves looking at host proteins that are up-regulated when a virus infects a cell and how those proteins might relate to controlling viral infections," explained Dr Helbig. "The funding has allowed me to pay for a part-time research assistant to assist me with laboratory studies."

Laboratory studies are critical to progressing Dr Helbig's research and will help to promote her research in high impact publications.

For Fellowship winner, Dr Heather Bray, the funding has meant that she can recommence her research career. Dr Bray's work focuses on understanding community attitudes to the use of science and technology in agriculture and food production.

"I'm so grateful for the Fellowship," said Dr Bray. "It's allowed me to re-enter research with a strong support network in terms of my personal branding, career direction and writing support.

"It's also given me the opportunity to network with international researchers."

A Barbara kidman Women's Fellowship has also greatly assisted Dr lynn Ward, whose research centres on ageing, with a particular focus on ageing well, cognitive functioning, resilience and wellbeing.

Dr Ward's funding has been put towards training in longitudinal data analysis techniques, enhancing links with others in her field and strengthening her publication record. Some of the support will also be used to apply for grant funding to maintain momentum for her research once the Fellowship comes to an end.

A Senior Research Fellow in gender Studies and Social Analysis, Fellowship winner Dr Tanya Zivkovic employed a research assistant for her current work on obesity and social disadvantage, enabling her to pursue a new research focus on Advance Care Directives in Australian migrant communities.

"As an early career researcher with a young child it is difficult to develop an independent research profile," explained Dr Zivkovic. "I am very grateful for this opportunity to further my own research trajectory."