Kelly Squires

Dr. Kelly Squires is a Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Professional Experience Convenor at the University of Newcastle's School of Health Sciences within the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing. An Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian since 2007, she has been with the University since 2011 and transitioned to her current role in 2022 after supporting final-year students at the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health in Tamworth. Prior to her academic career, she spent eight years as a Diabetes Dietitian and six years in a generalist clinical dietetic role.

Dr. Squires holds a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics and a Bachelor of Business (Marketing), both from the University of Newcastle. She completed her PhD in 2024, focusing on integrating simulation-based learning into nutrition and dietetics placements to better prepare students for clinical settings.

Her research expertise centers on clinical nutrition, simulation-based learning for dietetics students, rural health, and the ethical use of social media by nutrition professionals. Dr. Squires has developed a Social Media Evaluation Checklist to ensure alignment with ethical and professional standards. She leads research on the cost of placements for allied health students and previously coordinated studies on gestational diabetes management. Her work bridges clinical practice and education, with a strong emphasis on preparing students for real-world healthcare settings through innovative teaching methods. She has received consistently positive teaching feedback for her engaging style, supportive nature, effective communication, passion, and well-structured content.

Analysis of Dr. Squires' recent publications reveals a strong focus on simulation-based learning in allied health education, rural health services, and professional practice standards. Her research spans clinical nutrition, particularly in liver disease and gestational diabetes, as well as interprofessional education and the evolving landscape of digital communication in dietetics. There's a clear progression from rural health workforce development to more specialized studies on simulation techniques and social media ethics in professional practice.

• 2013 DAA Small Grant from Dietitians Association of Australia for research on gestational diabetes service delivery

Dr. Squires has supervised 8 completed research projects and currently supervises one PhD student. Her supervision portfolio includes diverse topics from social media use by dietitians to malnutrition screening in liver disease. She has secured research funding totaling $11,294, including a $10,000 Small Grant from the Dietitians Association of Australia in 2013 and a travel grant in 2014. She has taught core subjects within the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours) program, including Clinical Nutrition 1, Clinical Nutrition 2, Nutrition Communication, and Sports Dietetics.

Dr. Squires is an active member of the Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare since 2021 and collaborates extensively with colleagues like Susan Heaney, Leanne Brown, and Lesley Wicks on rural health and simulation-based education projects. Her work often involves interdisciplinary teams addressing challenges in dietetic education and practice, with a particular emphasis on rural contexts and innovative teaching approaches.