Top academics chosen for 2020 Summit

Some of the University of Adelaide's top academics in health and the arts were among those chosen to attend the Federal Government's Australia 2020 Summit.

The 2020 Summit, held in Canberra last month, was aimed at playing a key role in helping to shape the future of Australia across a broad range of areas.

"We are delighted that a number of University of Adelaide academics with national and international reputations were chosen to attend the Summit," said the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor James McWha.

"Their selection as delegates to the Summit is a reflection of their level of expertise."

The Australia 2020 Summit delegates and their Summit areas include:

A long-term national health strategy

• Professor Christian Gericke Professor of Public Health Policy, Discipline of Public Health;
  
• Professor John Spencer Professor of Social and Preventive Dentistry and Co-Director, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health;
  
• Professor Gary Wittert Professor of Medicine and Head, School of Medicine.

Options for the future of Indigenous Australia

• Dr Veronica Arbon Senior Research Fellow, Yaitya Purruna Indigenous Health Unit, Discipline of General Practice.

Towards a creative Australia

• Professor John Coetzee Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Honorary Visiting Research Fellow, Discipline of English;
  
• Professor Nicholas Jose Professor of Creative Writing, Discipline of English.

A University of Adelaide student - Mohammad Al-Khafaji, who is studying for a Bachelor of Engineering (Software Engineering) - was also chosen to attend the Youth Summit in Canberra.

Story by David Ellis