Five early career researchers from the University of Canberra went head-to-head to win a share of $14,000 in seed funding last night, pitching their big ideas to a panel of judges.
The five finalists – voted from a pool of 12 – pitched their research to a judging panel in the live streamed event.
Dr Bernard Brown, Dr Andrew Flood, Associate Professor Bradley Moggridge, Dr Claire O'Brien, and Dr Wubshet Tesfaye were the five finalists chosen to pitch their ideas in 90-seconds to the judges.
Wubshet Tesfaye took out first prize for his research 'Next generation antimicrobials to fight skin sores,' with Dr Andrew Flood coming in second place for his research project 'What is pain? What we don't know may hurt us'.
"This award means everything to me, and it means changing the life of many Aboriginal people throughout Australia," Dr Tesfaye said.
"Thank you so much, thank you to the judges and to the Faculty of Health thank you for your support – I am so excited."
Dr Claire O'Brian took the People's Choice Award for her research 'Debugging inflammatory bowel disease'.
The judges included Questacon Deputy Director Kate Driver, Chairman and Founder of Ray White Canberra Ben Faulks and General Manager of All Homes Danielle Harmer.
"It's a wonderful opportunity that these early career researchers have been provided in this initiative; a broad platform from which to share their voices and ideas," said Professor Leigh Sullivan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation. "The five finalists have been selected from a pool of highly talented academics, and their selection is testament to both the excellence of their research projects and their skills in communication of science."
The judges awarded the first-place winner $7000, the runner-up received $4000, and the People's Choice winner received $3000.
The UC Big Research Pitch finalists:
Dr Bernard Brown – The importance of school leadership in our local schools in times of crisis
Dr Brown has had a long involvement in education, working in schools and universities both in Australia and abroad. He is passionate about education and empowering students to engage in learning and teaching. His areas of specialisation are teacher education, educational leadership, ethics, and policy. Dr Brown has several published articles in journals and book chapters and is currently working on a funded research project involving ACT teachers. During his career he has taught in a number of countries including Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and China.
Watch Dr Brown's pitch here.
Dr Andrew Flood – What is pain? What we don't know may hurt us
Dr Flood is a Lecturer in Psychology. He is interested in the measurement and manipulation of pain with the aim of informing new approaches to the treatment of chronic pain conditions. His research is currently focused on how non-invasive electrical stimulation of the brain may be an effective tool for pain relief.
Watch Dr Flood's pitch here.
Associate Professor Bradley Moggridge – Influencing Western Water Science with Indigenous Knowledge
Associate Professor Bradley Moggridge is a proud Murri from the Kamilaroi Nation. He is an Associate Professor in Indigenous Water Science (hydrogeology and environmental science) and part-time PhD candidate at the University of Canberra. He was, until recently, the Indigenous Liaison Officer for the Threatened Species Recovery Hub under NESP. Associate Professor Moggridge hopes to encourage future generations to pursue interests in STEM, promote his ancestors' knowledge of water and mentor emerging Indigenous scientists.
Watch Associate Professor Moggridge's pitch here.
Dr Claire O'Brien – Debugging inflammatory bowel disease
Dr O'Brien is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology, and Head of the Host-Microbe interactions research group. Her main research interests are the gut microbiome and the inflammatory bowel diseases. Dr O'Brien received her PhD on the 'Microbiological aspects of Crohn's disease' from the ANU Medical School in 2012. She then undertook a NHMRC Early Career Fellowship at Canberra Hospital, followed by several post-doctoral positions before joining the University of Canberra in July last year.
Watch Dr O'Brien's pitch here.
Dr Wubshet Tesfaye – Next generation antimicrobials to fight skin sores
Dr Wubshet Tesfaye is a pharmacist, pharmaceutical scientist, and an early career researcher at the University of Canberra. He completed his PhD in 2019 at the University of Tasmania and was recruited as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Canberra in early 2020. Prior to this, he was involved in various academic roles in Ethiopia and Australia, and mainly served as a lecturer of pharmacology in Ethiopia for over two years. Dr Tesfaye's research focus encompasses new drug developments in skin infections and medication outcome in noncommunicable diseases. His research interests generally aim to understand treatment challenges and finding novel interventions for infections affecting vulnerable children; and extends to understanding optimal medication use in people with chronic kidney disease.
Watch Dr Tesfaye's pitch here.
