Advancing equity in research with nine new fellowships

The University of Newcastle has announced its inaugural cohort of the ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowships.

A key component of the University’s Research Sponsorship Scheme, ADVANCE Research is a leading institutional researcher development initiative designed to support research talent through equity, diversity and inclusion barriers, accelerate quality research outputs, uplift research excellence capacity and build research leadership capability.

Developed in consultation with a broad range of University and community stakeholders to ensure that equity, accessibility and diversity were at the forefront of the Fellowships, the ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowships offer a targeted opportunity for talented researchers to soar.

^{EQUITY: Inaugural recipients of the University’s ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowships (back l-r) Dr Alice Neikirk, Dr Lara Daley, (middle l-r) Associate Professor Trisha Pender, Dr Katie Waters, Dr Shaleeza Sohail, Dr Stacey McMullin, (front l-r) Dr Daniella Forster, Associate Professor Sara Motta and Dr Zara Ersozlu.}

Pro Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor Juanita Todd, said the cross-institution selection panels were delighted by the breadth of strong researchers who applied for the Fellowship.

“This is the first year we’ve offered our ADVANCE Research Fellowships and we were truly heartened by how many promising researchers applied,” Professor Todd said.

“The high standard of applicants didn’t make the selection process easy, but we know that these nine outstanding ADVANCE Research Fellows really are deserving recipients.”

“We are thrilled to announce our inaugural cohort who all show exceptional promise to deliver targeted research in line with the university’s strategic goals that benefits our communities locally, nationally and globally,” Professor Todd said.

Congratulations to the nine exceptional academics who have been awarded an ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowship:

The ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowship supports the University’s SAGE Athena SWAN Silver Action Plan by addressing identified barriers to career progression. Open to level B, C and D academics who have encountered barriers or systemic disadvantage * to their research career, the Fellowship received exceptional applications across the board.

Read more about our Fellows and their projects below:

Dr Lara Daley

Dr Lara Daley is a lecturer and research associate in the School of Environmental and Life Sciences.

Lara’s work is driven by a commitment to the people, Country and relationships that are the backbone of the Aboriginal-led collectives (Yandaarra and the Bawaka Collective) of which they are a member.

Lara has a strong record in Indigenous-led, intercultural, collaborative research, and this Fellowship will enable them to consolidate important research networks and develop new research.

Lara’s research plan involves a commitment to ongoing relationships with Indigenous people and Countries to co-develop important community-driven research projects. This includes travel to NE Arhhem Land and hosting Californian Indigenous Elders in Australia to connect, listen and respond with responsibility to Indigenous sovereignties.

With this program, and all their work, Lara notes that face-to-face relationships and accountability to Elders and Custodians is vital for nourished and respectful Indigenous-led collaborative research.

Dr Zara Ersozlu

Dr Zara Ersozlu is a senior lecturer in the School of Education, College of Human and Social Futures.

Zara’s academic journey has taken her across the world – investigating solving real problems that impact people’s success, wellbeing and ability to achieve.

Her focus is on mathematics education, encompassing the psychology of mathematics, simulated learning and technologies, teacher education, and quantitative approaches to research. Her publications explore innovative uses of technology to enhance math teaching and learning.

With the ADVANCE Research Fellowship, Zara intends to expand her research output and elevate her influence both nationally and globally in mathematical practices and pedagogies, mathematics anxiety, and the transformative role of technology in inclusive math education.

An active member of the Teachers and Teaching Research Centre and the Educational Technology and Research Networks at the University of Newcastle, Zara’s research on the mathematics curriculum focuses on improving teachers’ learning and teaching practices to promote equity and inclusion in education.

Dr Daniella Forster

Dr Daniella Forster, senior lecturer in the School of Education, will use her ADVANCE Research Fellowship to contribute to the University’s strategic goal of Equity.

Working within the School of Education’s Leading Learning for Inclusive and Ethical Futures Research Pillar (LIEF), Daniella will leverage her national and international networks to raise awareness for strategies to prevent moral injury and demoralisation in the profession of teaching.

Daniella is a leading mind in the field of educational ethics, drawing on philosophical tools to support life-ready graduate teachers and re-engage public dialogue about moral dimensions of educational policies and practices.

Daniella aims to enhance educators’ ethical sensitivities, decision-making and behaviour. With this Fellowship she will collaborate with a range of groups and centres (such as The Ethics Centre, Harvard’s EdEthics team and the Philosophy of Education Society Australasia) to deliver a research agenda for Ethics in Teacher Education.

Dr Stacey McMullen

Dr Stacey McMullen is an Indigenous Scholar and Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychological Sciences.

A proud Aboriginal woman who is a descendant of the Kooma people, Stacey has grown up on Awabakal country where she now lives and works.

Stacey’s work builds on her 20 years’ experience as a clinician and she aims to improve the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians though culturally-led parenting, birthing and trauma services.

In her clinical career, Stacey has had a significant focus on culturally responsive and culturally-led therapeutic interventions.

With this Fellowship, Stacey will continue to engage with community and conduct culturally responsive research with the long-term goal of improving birth outcomes, improving wellbeing for babies and reducing trauma in expectant mothers.

Associate Professor Sara C Motta

Associate Professor Sara C Motta, from the Politics Group, Newcastle Business School, is an Indigenous-mestiza international award-winning scholar-poet who develops strength-based decolonial and Indigenist feminist research, teaching and community outreach.

Sara works with Indigenous and Women of Colour (WOC) mothers, grandmothers and kin across the territories of Colombia, Brazil and Australia who have survived similar violences to herself. As an activist-scholar, she has a commitment and responsibility to nurture racialised women’s voice, vision and leadership as justice-making change agents in their communities.

With this ADVANCE Research Fellowship, Sara intends to progress her work in completing a monograph (M)otherwise (the second in a trilogy), working to bring leading figures to the University of Newcastle for a symposium, and to continue her leadership as a community-dedicated scholar to produce groundbreaking political and ecological impact.

Committed and dedicated to co-producing knowledge with communities, Sara’s work is deeply inter-relational and transformative. This Fellowship will allow her the focus needed to complete this complex, trailblazing work.

Dr Alice Neikirk

Dr Alice Neikirk is a lecturer in the School of Law and Justice and has a research focus on access to justice, strengthening relationships between service providers and legal professionals, and women’s role in the criminal justice system.

With a commitment to rectifying inequality and injustice, Alice combines her initial studies of anthropology and sociology and explores how these intersect with governance and the law.

With this Fellowship, Alice will focus on increasing marginalised peoples’ access to justice, locally, and, ultimately, globally. Through collaborative and inclusive work with communities, Alice aims to work to create easy-to-read, culturally sensitive resources for service providers and their clients.

Alice will build on her current research trajectory to transform her academic standing and lead her on the pathway to success.

Associate Professor Trisha Pender

Associate Professor Trisha Pender, school of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences (English and writing) has an active research interest in early modern literature, feminist literary history and popular culture.

With this Fellowship, Trisha will continue her important work completing and then launching the Palgrave Encyclopedia of Early Modern Women’s Writing and collaborating on a new creative project “The Real Housewives of Henry VIII”.

Working globally, Trisha will collaborate with colleagues in the UK and US to intensify her research. Trisha intends on focussing on increasing her creative outputs – and will build on a number of residencies she’s undertaken recently – and present her work at a range of academic and creative fora worldwide.

Dr Shaleeza Sohail

Dr Shaleeza Sohail is a lecturer in the School of Information and Physical Sciences, College of Engineering, Sciences and Environment.

With this ADVANCE Research Fellowship Shaleeza will undertake crucial research into sustainable smart agriculture systems working with global research teams. For her research, input from local and international communities and stakeholders will be pivotal, ensuring the research addresses their critical needs to maximise its impact

The RuralAI project will engage directly with farmers to understand the complex challenges they face. Grounded in respect for Indigenous farming practices, the project will actively involve First Nations stakeholders from Australia, ensuring their knowledge and perspectives shape meaningful solutions.

Building on her existing work, this project embeds real-world implementation of RuralAI architecture – developing a trans-Tasman community informed testbed to test and deploy the technology with the aim of seeking pre-commercial funding.

Dr Katie Waters

Dr Katie Waters is a lecturer in the School of Education with 25 years of experience in Primary, STEM, and Educational Leadership. Returning to academia, Katie is committed to promoting best teaching practices through research and collaboration.

Katie's work is focused on the future of digital leadership in a tech-driven world, strategically integrating digital technologies across the curriculum, including coding, robotics, and AI, to drive excellence and engagement for both students and teachers. She places particular emphasis on lifelong learning and inclusive education.

With this Fellowship, Katie intends to strengthen her global and national partnerships, enhance data collection and research initiatives, and lead workshops for key stakeholders. Her diverse projects prioritise inclusiveness and equity in education.

^{*This includes: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers, researchers with carer responsibilities, researchers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, researchers living with disability or serious/chronic medical condition/illness, researchers who have experienced gender-based discrimination and who identify as women or a non-binary person, researchers who have experienced domestic, family or gender-based violence or trauma.}

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The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.