Meet Prof Jenny Martin

MBChB(Otago), MA(Oxon.), PhD(Monash), FRACP, GAICD                  

Why did you join the University Council?

I was elected by the staff of the University as a strong and independent voice that would bring the academic and the stakeholder voices to the Council, together with a future focus to the University, particularly for the region’s transition post coal.

What do you look back on most fondly when it comes to your own education?

I learnt the skills of deep and critical analysis, the importance of data to back a position or plan, and the need for an open and inquiring mind in a complex and changing environment. After my medical training, my 3 years at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar reading Politics, Philosophy and Economics provided a completeness to the understanding of health outcomes, from the complex physiological and pharmacological side of disease and treatments to the issues around equity in health and access to health resources, social determinants of health, and constraints of public health systems.

Biography

Professor Martin is a physician and academic healthcare leader with skillsets and experience in complex regulatory and performance environments in both health and education. She leads two independent multidisciplinary high-profile National research programs informing clinical practice and healthcare policy around optimised use of medicines, has 20 years’ experience on specialist Government committees guiding Trans-Tasman pharmaceutical policy, was a long-serving member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Policy and Advocacy Committee - setting strategy on a number of social policies affecting people’s health, until she became a Board Director of the RACP and now President-Elect (2022-24).

Her Industry experience (pharmaceutical), previous G8 University School Executive and Hospital Council experience, more recent leadership roles with Rhodes Scholars Australia where she has broadened the selection and representation of NSW scholars, and membership of the NSW Divisional Council and Corporate Governance Committee of the Australian Institute of Company Directors are diverse skillsets enhancing her academic contribution to Council. She acknowledges the current issues affecting the tertiary education sector, including funding projections, the need for both alignment and differentiation with other education providers, and upcoming research and teaching opportunities for the University of Newcastle to reflect and also to guide future community, Industry and Government opportunities.