Health researchers awarded Franklin Women’s innovative carer’s scholarship
Dr Bao Nguyen, Research Fellow, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT and in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS) and Dr Kate Filia, Senior Research Fellow at Orygen, the Centre for Youth Mental Health, MDHS were awarded funding through the Franklin Women’s Carers' Scholarship to alleviate barriers associated with unpaid caring responsibilities to take advantage of career opportunities.
The scholarship was introduced to prevent the loss of talented women in scientific research in Australia. It acknowledges the impact that unpaid caring responsibilities for young children or elderly family members has on their ability to embrace and fully participate in professional opportunities.
Scholarship winner Dr Bao Nguyen is a clinician-scientist, developing an intracranial pressure measuring device. She is also the primary carer of two young children as well as her ill father.
The funding allows Dr Nguyen’s to be involved in the Translating Research At Melbourne (TRAM) research accelerator programs to undertake initial customer discovery, explore niche customer markets and to accelerate her go-to-market strategy.
Upon receiving the award Dr Nguyen said, “I am grateful for this support from Franklin Women at such a crucial career pivot for me. The Carer's Scholarship will boost my ability to commit to the medtech development and commercialisation pathway.”
Dr Nguyen will use the scholarship funds to pay for additional days of childcare so that she can attend a health technology accelerator workshop focused on bringing her device to market.
Dr Kate Filia is a Senior Research Fellow at Orygen, the Centre for Youth Mental Health. Kate’s research focusses on improving understanding the role of social inclusion in the prevention, treatment and ongoing management of mental ill-health, particularly in early stages for young people.
"This scholarship provides not only financial support for me to take advantage of an important career-building opportunity, but also the chance to feel that my contributions to my family are not unseen, and that the challenges of caregiving are recognised by others in a career context. I am genuinely grateful for this," said Dr Filia.