Tamara Mackean

Tamara Mackean is an Associate Professor at Flinders University, holding a conjoint appointment with the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) and the George Institute for Global Health. As a Waljen woman and Public Health Medicine Physician, her work focuses on Health Equity and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing. She is a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine (AFPHM) and leads research in health policy, social and mental health, and Indigenous health systems.

Dr. Mackean’s academic roles include leadership in the College of Medicine and Public Health, where she mentors Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers and students. Her expertise spans public health, social determinants of health, and translating research into community practice. Key qualifications include a Master of Public Health from the University of Adelaide (2015), and she has held roles such as RACP Trainee of the Year (2015) and recipient of the Flinders University Staff Award (2007).

Her research emphasizes decolonizing health practices, antiracist healthcare systems, and improving outcomes for First Nations communities. Notable projects include co-designing equitable dental health systems and analyzing food/water security challenges in Aboriginal communities. She has published extensively on Indigenous health equity and policy implementation, with over 105 peer-reviewed articles.

• Awards: LIMElight Award (2015), AFPHM John McLeod Scholarship (2009), and multiple recognitions for cultural change advocacy.
• Grants: Chief Investigator on projects like 'Understanding Indigenous and non-Indigenous theories of wellbeing' (funded by multiple stakeholders).
• Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Lowitja Institute and Aboriginal-led health organizations to drive culturally safe practices.