Stuart Ekberg

Stuart Ekberg, PhD, is an Associate Professor (Teaching and Research) at Flinders University's College of Nursing and Health Sciences. His roles include membership in the Caring Futures Institute and the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying. He holds an Associate Fellow (Indigenous Knowledges) from the Higher Education Academy. Ekberg specializes in healthcare communication, palliative care, and the social dimensions of health, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. His research employs conversation analysis to study interactions between healthcare providers and users, focusing on pediatric palliative care, mental health, and culturally sensitive communication.

Education: PhD, University of Adelaide (2011). Prior academic roles include positions at UK and Queensland universities (2010–2024).

Research interests include:

• Palliative care for children and adults
• Clinician-patient communication
• Cultural competence in healthcare
• Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander health equity

Notable projects include the National Action Plan for Paediatric Palliative Care and training programs for mental health professionals. His work has been funded by grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council, and others.

Key achievements include developing prompt lists for family consultations in palliative care and translating research into eLearning tools. Current supervisions include studies on rural survivorship care and advance care planning in pediatric palliative care.

Awards: While no explicit awards are listed, his extensive grants and academic roles reflect recognition in his field.