2019 MDHS Faculty Leadership Retreat
April 4 – April 5
Leaning In to the future: transformation and diversity
Welcome from the Dean
I’m delighted to welcome you all to this year’s MDHS Faculty Leadership Retreat. As the title of the program indicates, we will spend our time exploring the themes of transformation and diversity in relation to learning and teaching, research, and our people and culture – all in the context of our strategic plan.
- Professor Shitij Kapur
Leadership Retreat Program
The Leadership Retreat Program includes a welcome message from the Dean, daily schedules, speaker biographies, a list of delegates and contacts.


Venue
Peppers The Sands
2 Sands Boulevard
Torquay
Collaboration & Teamwork - Compassion - Respect - Integrity - Accountability
- Thursday, 4 April 20199:30am
Registration and Check In
Morning tea served on arrival- 10:00am
Acknowledgement of Country
- 10:05am
Opening Address
- 10:25am
The Case for Change in Education
Peter Hutton and David Runge- 11:45am
The Student Perspective
Christopher Bolton, Samantha Butler, Raelene Nixon, Chloe Pettigrew, Laura Thomas, Gavin Wayne- 12:45pm
LUNCH
- 1:30pm
Digital and Custom Education
Simon Bell
Colin Royse
Q&A- 3:30pm
AFTERNOON TEA
- 4:00pm
Innovation Showcase
Liz Molloy, Elif Ekinci, David Kok, Jason Micallef- 4:30pm
Review of the Day
Marilys Guillemin- 4:50pm
Life on Planet MDHS
Mike Morgan with Olena Hnakivsky, Matt Watt, John Prins- 5:30pm
Close
- 6:15pm
Pre-Dinner Drinks
- 7:00-9:30pm
Dinner
Speaker - Nyadol Nyuon

Venue
Peppers The Sands
2 Sands Boulevard
Torquay
Collaboration & Teamwork - Compassion - Respect - Integrity - Accountability
- Friday, 5 April 2019 8:30am
Welcome
Fabienne Mackay- 8:40am
Setting the Standard: Leading towards Diversity
Victor Sojo: Centre for Workplace Leadership- 10:20am
In conversation with Sharon Lewin and Ricky Johnstone
Facilitated by Jane Gunn- 10:30am
Morning tea
Screening: It All Started in the Sunderland- 11:00am
The Year in Review
Mike McGuckin
MRFF: Wins, Losses and Likely Future
Heather St John- 11:25am
The PhD through the Looking Glass
Alex Boussioutas
Discussion with PhD students and others- 12:00pm
The Big Picture
Mike McGuckin
Discussion with range of researchers.- 1:00pm
Closing Address
Shitij Kapur- 1:20pm
Lunch
- 2:00pm
Buses depart for Melbourne

Venue
Peppers The Sands
2 Sands Boulevard
Torquay
Collaboration & Teamwork - Compassion - Respect - Integrity - Accountability
Simon Bell
Simon is Professor of Marketing at the University of Melbourne and the new head of MSPACE. Previously, Simon worked at the Judge Business School at Cambridge University where he remains a fellow. He has worked extensively with industry for the purposes of research, consulting and executive education, working with firms such as Goldman Sachs, Telstra, Shell, Agricultural Bank of China, IBM, Clayton Utz and PWC, among others. He writes and consults on a range of issues including sales force management, services and relationship marketing, and customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Peter Hutton
Peter’s strength is in transformational insight and HOW to implement significant pedagogical, organisational and cultural change. Peter’s expertise extends to change management, student entrepreneurship, individualised learning, alternative tertiary pathways and supporting dyslexic students. Peter has extensive leadership experience in both the state and independent school systems where he has led significant successful innovation in both sectors. As a person with dyslexia, Peter sees the world differently, and has spent his life challenging assumptions and conventions. Drawing on the latest research and his unique experiences, Peter is committed to significantly improving the lives of young people by transforming the broader education system to equip students for times of exponential change.
Nyadol Nyuon
Nyadol Nyuon is a commercial litigator with Arnold Bloch Leibler and a community advocate. She was born in a refugee camp in Itang, Ethiopia and raised in Kakuma Refugee camp, Kenya. At eighteen, Nyadol moved to Australia as a refugee. Since then she has completed a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne. In both 2011 and 2014, Nyadol was nominated as one of the hundred most influential African Australians. She is currently a board member of the Melbourne University Social Equity Institute.
David Runge
Dave partners with organisation to co-design their evolving futures. With extensive knowledge of foresight, culture and innovation Dave generates transformation by using progressive insight methods that encourage collaboration and engagement within the organisation and their broader community. He has implemented change and delivered innovation in diverse settings, whilst working alongside global thought leaders. Dave contributes regularly to the educational debate and is a strong advocate for future focussed education.
Victor Sojo
Dr Sojo is a Lecturer and Research Fellow at the Centre for Workplace Leadership in the Department of Management and Marketing, FBE. He works in several diversity and gender equality research projects with industry partners and speaks extensively about his research at academic conferences and industry events. He is currently conducting research on perceptions of power, essentialist beliefs, and discrimination of women in occupational settings, and on the impact of harmful workplace behaviours against women at work.
Collaboration & Teamwork - Compassion - Respect - Integrity - Accountability
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Research Session Background Paper (PDF)
Background paper for the Research Session at the Faculty Leadership Retreat.
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Leadership Retreat Program (PDF)
The Leadership Retreat Program includes a welcome message from the Dean, daily schedules, speaker biographies, a list of delegates and contacts.
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Student Life Green Paper
The Green Paper proposes a number of actions for discussion, grouped into themes which reflect the key challenges identified from the research undertaken into our students’ experience.
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Innovation Showcase - Elif Ekinci (PDF)
Elif Ekinci's Day 1 Innovation Showcase presentation.
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Innovation Showcase - Jason Micallef (PDF)
Jason Micallef's Day 1 Innovation Showcase presentation.
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Review of the Day - Marilys Guillemin (PDF)
Marilys Guillemin's Day 1 Review of the Day presentation.
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Digital and Custom Education - Simon Bell (PDF)
Simon Bell's Day 1 Digital and Custom Education presentation.
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Leadership Retreat feedback survey (external link)
Click here to access the Leadership Retreat feedback survey.
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$100 Race video (external link)
The $100 Race video link from Nyadol Nyuon's Thursday evening presentation.
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The Case for Change in Education - Peter Hutton (PDF)
Peter Hutton's Day 1 The Case for Change in Education presentation.
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Innovation Showcase - David Kok (PDF)
David Kok's Day 1 Innovation Showcase presentation.
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Innovation Showcase - Liz Molloy (PDF)
Liz Molloy's Day 1 Innovation Showcase presentation.
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Digital and Custom Education - Colin Royse (PDF)
Colin Royse's Day 1 Digital and Custom Education presentation.
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Supporting Emerging Researchers video (external link)
Supporting Emerging Researchers video link from Mick McGuckin's Day 2 The Year in Review presentation.
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MRFF: Wins, Losses and Likely Futures - Heather St John (PDF)
Heather St John's Day 2 MRFF: Wins, Losses and Likely Futures presentation.
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The Big Picture - Mike McGuckin (PDF)
Mike McGuckin's Day 2 The Big Picture presentation.
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The PhD through the Looking Glass - Alex Boussioutas (PDF)
Alex Boussioutas' Day 2 The PhD through the Looking Glass presentation.
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The Year in Review - Mike McGuckin (PDF)
Mike McGuckin's Day 2 The Year in Review presentation.
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Setting the Standard: Leading towards Diversity - Victor Sojo (PDF)
Victor Sojo's Day 2 Setting the Standard: Leading towards Diversity presentation.
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Collaboration & Teamwork - Compassion - Respect - Integrity - Accountability
2020 Honours Three Minute Thesis Competition Grand Final
Wednesday 9th September, 3.00-4.00pm
The Three Minute Thesis competition invites our Honours students to present a clear, concise and engaging speech on their exciting piece of research in biomedical and health sciences and its significance to the wider community to non-specialist audience. You will be impressed with their enthusiasm and passion for their research in these challenging times!
Vote for the 'People's Choice'
Contestant Profiles
Tian Du
Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours)
“Picking up a pipette, placing a mouse in a maze, peering down a microscope to see a beautifully stained brain. Despite the setbacks this year, honours has allowed me to step into the reality that was behind the lecture slides, papers and books of undergrad. My lab and honours cohort have also been a highlight, having such bright and supportive people around (if only virtually) has meant I have been greatly enriched by the personal and neural connections made this year.”
Bianca Fato
Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours)
“Investigating and driving a project that aligns with my interest and passion for women's health has deepened my appreciation for medical research. I am learning advanced and exciting research techniques, which have been challenging and very rewarding. More importantly, the inspiring team I have had the privilege to connect and work closely with made this year the most enjoyable and enriching year of my undergraduate degree.”
Eden Febbraio
Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours)
“While honours has been a challenging year so far amidst a global pandemic, it has definitely been the most rewarding, and one I will be extremely proud of. In such a short period of time I have learnt so many new skills, which have required me to gain a new level of independence. A highlight for me was recently starting my very own animal experiment, which I look forward to continuing.”
Darren Yen Jyn Lee
Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours)
“I will always remember 2020 as the year that Science became more important than ever. I've always wanted to learn new bioinformatics skills, and I've got more than I asked for through a combination of both coursework and research components. The highlight of my Honours year is definitely the opportunity for me to design my own research project and despite having faced certain challenges, I am grateful to have the best lab members to help me make the best out of my Honours year!”
Grace Bidgood
Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours)
“Honours has been unlike any other year. The opportunity to engage with leading scientists and students, feel a part of a professional community, contribute to medical and scientific understanding whilst learning in a supportive and enriching environment has been beyond incredible. The hands on and active experience of honours has exposed and instilled the expectations and skills required to be successful within any career that I would not have learnt yet if it was not for this year.”
Joanne Huynh
Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours)
“The best part of my Honours year so far has been meeting and working with the brilliant people in my lab. I have gained invaluable advice, experience, and inspiration from those around me, who have opened my eyes to the vast range of opportunities in the biomedical field. I am thrilled to continue my trajectory in science and to learn – or even discover, some novel science!”
In his closing remarks at the Leadership Retreat, our Dean Professor Shitij Kapur made a series of commitments. Under the headings below are videos that take you through each of the commitments.