Professor Emily Banks is a leading epidemiologist and public health physician at the Australian National University (ANU) College of Health and Medicine, contributing extensively to chronic disease prevention, Indigenous health, and population-level research. Education: MBBS (Honors I), BMedSci (Honors I), PhD Key Roles: Head of the Centre of Epidemiology for Policy and Practice, NHMRC Investigator Fellow, Visiting Professor at Oxford University Her research spans epidemiology , Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health , oncology , and cardiovascular medicine , emphasizing large-scale cohort studies to address public health challenges. Recent work explores alcohol-related mortality, Indigenous youth cardiovascular health, and e-cigarette prevention strategies. Over 450 publications highlight her expertise in cohort analysis , cancer risk , and preventive medicine . Awards include the Australian Medical Association Gold Medal and Member of the Order of Australia. Scientific Awards: UK Woman of Achievement in Science (2000) ANU Vice-Chancellor's Awards (2010-2017) National Breast Cancer Foundation Patron’s Award (2014) Order of Australia (2021)
Yogi Vidyattama is an Associate Professor at the Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra. He specializes in spatial microsimulation modeling, economic growth, income distribution, and fiscal decentralization. Previously affiliated with the University of Indonesia, he contributed to regional economic analysis in Indonesia. His research focuses on linking economic policies with spatial outcomes, including corruption determinants, healthcare access, and disaster resilience. Education: PhD in Patterns of Provincial Economic Growth from Australian National University (2008), Master's from ANU (2003), and Bachelor's in Fiscal Decentralisation from University of Indonesia (2000). Research interests include microsimulation modeling, regional economic disparities, and policy impacts. He has led 49 projects, including studies on electric vehicle policy, disaster capability mapping, and regional fast rail economic impacts. His work contributes to UN SDGs related to economic growth, inequality reduction, and disaster resilience. Publications span over 117 outputs, analyzing topics like Indonesia's regional corruption, Australian housing crises, and pandemic policy effects. Awards and recognitions are unspecified, but his roles in executive councils of ANZRSAI and PRSCO highlight peer recognition. Advised 10 students and maintains NATSEM's spatial models and GIS systems.
Emily Callander is a Professor of Women’s Health Economics at the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University, and Head of Discipline in Health Services Management at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She leads the Women’s Economics and Value Based Care research program and holds leadership roles in national health policy, including as Vice President of Women's Healthcare Australasia and member of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee Economics Subcommittee. BA in Economics and Policy, Griffith University PhD in Health Economics, University of Sydney Postdoctoral training at NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre and Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney Her research focuses on maternal and women's health, utilizing linked administrative data, economic evaluation, and modelled analysis to influence health policy and delivery. Her work spans efficient staffing models, rural health access, national maternity initiatives (e.g., Safer Baby Bundle, Normal Birth Strategy), and cost analyses for global maternal health programs supported by the Gates Foundation. Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in health economic evaluations of maternity care models, medication use in pregnancy, digital health implementation, and preterm birth prevention. These works emphasize real-world applicability, equity, and cost-effectiveness, aligning with her mission to embed economic evidence into health systems. She has been supported by prestigious NHMRC awards, including a Doctoral Scholarship, Early Career Fellowship, and Career Development Fellowship. Her scientific contributions are recognized through active research projects and expert media commentary on maternity care policy. NHMRC Doctoral Scholarship NHMRC Early Career Fellowship NHMRC Career Development Fellowship Emily Callander advises on multiple national and international research projects, often as Chief or Associate Investigator, and collaborates with institutions such as Coventry University. She is actively accepting PhD students and contributes to policy through advisory roles in government and non-profit organizations. Her research is supported by grants from NHMRC, government departments, and international foundations. She leads the Women’s Economics and Value Based Care program at Monash and is a key member of the Transforming Maternity Care Collaborative. Her work is embedded in real-world health systems, partnering with consumers, providers, and policymakers to improve women’s health outcomes globally.
Professor Andrew Whyte serves as a faculty member in the School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University, Perth. His expertise spans civil engineering, sustainable infrastructure development, and construction management with a particular emphasis on life-cycle assessment methodologies. Professor Whyte maintains an active research profile with numerous international collaborations, especially with Malaysian institutions and industry partners across Southeast Asia. BSc, PhD (formal qualifications) Professor at Curtin University since at least 2000 Extensive international research collaborations Active participation in professional engineering organizations Professor Whyte's research interests focus on life-cycle analysis methodologies (LCA/LCCA) applied to civil infrastructure systems, with particular emphasis on sustainable materials, construction waste management, and transportation systems. His work bridges theoretical engineering principles with practical applications in sustainable construction practices, asset management, and infrastructure development. Recent research has expanded into autonomous vehicle integration, offshore engineering systems, and sustainable urban mobility solutions. Analysis of Professor Whyte's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated life-cycle assessment methodologies applied across diverse infrastructure domains. His recent work demonstrates growing integration of computational modeling techniques with environmental and economic analysis, particularly in transportation systems and offshore engineering applications. The research shows strong industry relevance with practical applications in sustainable construction practices and infrastructure asset management. FICE (Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers) FIEAust (Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia) CPEng (Chartered Professional Engineer) NER (National Engineering Register) APECEngineer IntPE(Aus) (International Professional Engineer - Australia) Professor Whyte has secured substantial research funding from diverse sources including Australian government bodies, Malaysian research councils, and industry partners. His grant portfolio demonstrates expertise in translating academic research into practical engineering solutions, with particular strength in sustainable construction practices, offshore engineering systems, and infrastructure asset management. These projects often involve multi-institutional collaborations that bridge academic research with industry implementation.
Professor Azizur Rahman is a leading academic in applied statistics and data science at Charles Sturt University (Australia), where he leads the Data Mining Research Group and directs the Data Analytics Lab. He holds a PhD in Economics and Applied Statistics from the University of Canberra, with postdoctoral experience at the University of Adelaide. His expertise spans statistical methodologies, microsimulation, AI/ML, and data-driven policy analysis. He has attracted over $4.03M in research funding and published over 200 scholarly works. Education: BSc (Honours) in Statistical Science, University of Chittagong (2000) MSc (Thesis) in Biostatistics, University of Chittagong (2003) PhD in Economics and Applied Statistics, University of Canberra (2010) Research Focus: Big data analytics and AI applications in health, environment, and policy Bayesian inference and multilevel modeling Spatial microsimulation for socioeconomic analysis Water quality modeling and environmental systems Public health challenges in developing nations Key Contributions: Developed novel computational methods for microsimulation modeling Founder of the Data Analytics Lab at CSU Editorial roles in journals like PLOS ONE and International Journal of Microsimulation Recipient of 2023 ANZRSAI Outstanding Service Award and Charles Sturt Excellence Awards Grants & Awards: $4.03M+ external research funding secured 30+ awards including travel grants, fellowships, and service recognitions Advising & Mentorship: Supervised 6 PhD/DIT students and co-supervised many more. Active in mentoring early-career researchers through editorial boards and conference organizing roles. Labs & Collaborations: Leads DaMRG (Data Mining Research Group) and collaborates with global institutions on interdisciplinary projects involving AI/ML, environmental science, and public health.
Professor John Simes AO is a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Medicine and holds leadership roles at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC), including Senior Associate Director and Co-Director of Cancer Trials. He has led over 100 multicenter clinical trials, notably the LIPID and FIELD trials, contributing to global guidelines in cardiovascular and diabetes care. His research spans cancer, cardiovascular disease, neonatal medicine, and clinical trial methodology. Education: BSc (Med), MBBS, FRACP, SM (Harvard), MD. He is a practicing Medical Oncologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. Research Interests: Large-scale clinical trials in oncology (e.g., gastrointestinal, genitourinary cancers), cardiovascular risk reduction, and neonatal medicine. Notable contributions include demonstrating pravastatin's survival benefits (LIPID trial) and fenofibrate's microvascular benefits (FIELD trial). Current trials include INTEGRATE (gastric cancer) and INSPIRE (aspirin in VTE). Awards: Order of Australia (2020), MOGA Cancer Achievement Award (2010), Harvard Biostatistics Alum Award (2009), and R.T. Hall Prize (1999). Advising: Supervises students like Janene Dalrymple on translational research. Grants: Holder of NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship and Program Grants. Labs/Teams: Leads CTC's oncology trials group and chairs INSPIRE Steering Committee.
Dr. Emily He serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Sydney School of Public Health within the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on cancer epidemiology and public health modeling, with significant contributions to colorectal cancer screening and prevention strategies in the Australian context. Her expertise spans: Cancer Epidemiology : Investigating patterns of colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers through large cohort studies like the 45 and Up Study Public Health Modeling : Developing microsimulation frameworks to project cancer incidence/mortality and evaluate screening program efficacy Health Services Research : Analyzing colonoscopy utilization, healthcare costs, and rural access disparities in cancer services Analysis of her 2015-2025 publications reveals consistent emphasis on modeling the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program's impact, including colonoscopy demand quantification, pandemic-related disruptions, and prevention potential for liver cancer. Her work demonstrates strong collaboration with Australian cancer research groups like the Daffodil Centre, frequently utilizing real-world data to inform evidence-based policy.
Associate Professor Qingwei Luo is affiliated with the University of Sydney within the Faculty of Medicine and Health , specifically the Daffodil Centre . Her research focuses on cancer epidemiology, statistical projections of cancer burden, and health services research. She leads projects on tobacco control impact, rural-urban disparities in cancer outcomes, and microsimulation models for cancer projections. Her work includes analyzing large-scale health data such as cancer registries and population surveys. Recent projects involve modeling lung cancer mortality under various tobacco control scenarios and projecting cancer incidence trends. Luo has been recognized with the University of Sydney MCR Publication Award (2024) and EMCR Publication Award (2023) . Luo’s research spans collaborations on prostate cancer progression, colorectal cancer mortality, and breast cancer survival disparities. She contributes methodological expertise to the Daffodil Centre’s initiatives, integrating statistical trends into healthcare planning. Her publications emphasize epidemiological methods and public health policy implications.
Associate Professor Tim Higgins serves as Associate Dean (Research) at the College of Business and Economics , Australian National University. He holds his academic position in the Research School of Finance, Actuarial Studies & Statistics with a focus on actuarial studies. Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia ORCID Profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2936-257X Contact: tim.higgins@anu.edu.au Tim's research spans multiple domains including: Income Contingent Loan Theory with applications to education, parental leave, and training Panel Data Econometrics for financial and demographic analysis Microsimulation Modelling of policy impacts Superannuation Policy and retirement income frameworks Stochastic Earnings Dynamics for long-term financial planning Demographic Modelling of workforce patterns His 15 most recent publications (2014-2024) focus on income contingent loan structures, financial policy, and econometric analyses across education, social policy, and agricultural economics. Key journals include Economics of Education Review , PLoS ONE , and Risk Management and Insurance Review . Scientific awards include: ANU Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Public Policy and Outreach (2014) ANU Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2005) Tim has received research funding through: Australian Research Council Linkage Projects (multiple) Academies Linkage Grant (Academy of Social Sciences of Australia) His research teams have developed: Innovative evolutionary kernel-based subset time-series models Bootstrap methods for investment approach improvements Comprehensive frameworks for household electrification financing
Dr. Michelle Cunich is a Senior Research Fellow in Health Economics at the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney. She serves as Research Lead for the Sydney Health Economics Collaborative under Sydney Local Health District and Co-Lead for Implementation and Policy in the Cardiovascular Initiative. Academic Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney Key Research Areas: Chronic disease economics, cost-effectiveness analysis, health policy evaluation, econometric modeling of health outcomes Her research focuses on evaluating health interventions across age groups using large linked data, microsimulation models, and decision support tools. Current projects address cardiometabolic health, mental illness, and chronic pain economics. She collaborates on implementation science and policy translation, particularly in Australia. Recent publications analyze interventions for incontinence-associated dermatitis, virtual clinics for cystic fibrosis, and economic impacts of robotic surgery. Her work employs Markov modeling, interrupted time-series analysis, and panel data techniques. Scientific Awards Gilead Sciences Fellowship (2022) MRFF Cardiovascular Health Mission Grant (2022) NHMRC Project Grants (multiple years) Dr. Cunich supervises collaborative research in PubH5308 Workforce Policy Analysis and contributes to health economics education.
Assoc Prof Rupendra Shrestha is an applied statistician specializing in microsimulation models for health economics research at the University of Sydney. He focuses on societal costs of chronic illnesses, genetic disorders, and cost-effectiveness of genomic sequencing. His work bridges statistical methods with healthcare policy, emphasizing productivity loss and economic impacts. Active in interdisciplinary projects like the Australian Reproductive Carrier Screen Project and studies on mitochondrial diseases, he collaborates globally on economic analyses of healthcare interventions. His research outputs span cost-benefit analyses of genetic screening, chronic pain management trials, and microsimulation studies projecting economic burdens of diseases. Key areas include healthcare policy, rare disease economics, and caregiver economic impacts. Recent projects include assessing costs of heat waves on health (2020–2022), national productivity impacts of chronic illness (2020–2024), and genomic sequencing cost-effectiveness. He leads the MRFF-funded A3BC for Kids initiative (2024–2029). His 2024 publications highlight cost-effectiveness of carrier screening, mitochondrial disease hospitalization drivers, and adolescent risk behavior impacts on education. Awards and grants include Medical Research Future Fund awards totaling $20M for carrier screening projects. His work emphasizes translating economic insights into health policy and clinical practice. Key Projects: Australian Reproductive Carrier Screen Project ($20M MRFF), Heat Wave Health Costs (2020–2022) Grants: MRFF, NHMRC, and industry-funded initiatives
Dr Jie-Bin Lew is a Research Fellow at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, affiliated with the Gastrointestinal Cancers Policy and Evaluation Stream and The Daffodil Centre. Her research focuses on optimizing colorectal cancer screening policies and evaluating their impact on public health outcomes. She leads the development of the Policy1-Bowel microsimulation model, applied to assess screening policies in Australia and globally. In 2020, she received an Investigator Grant from NHMRC to evaluate screening approaches across income levels. Research Interests: Colorectal and cervical cancer screening strategies Health economics and policy evaluation Modelling the impact of screening disruptions (e.g., from pandemics) Health equity in screening access for Indigenous and rural populations Key Publications Trends: Recent work analyzes screening access disparities in China, economic impacts of colorectal cancer, and pandemic effects on screening programs. Collaborations span Australia, China, Canada, and the Netherlands. Grants & Awards: NHMRC Investigator Grant (2020) Advisory & Grants Work: Contributed to reports on NBCSP participation, colonoscopy demand, and cervical screening renewal. Collaborated with NSW Cancer Institute and national health departments on policy recommendations. Labs/Teams: Works within The Daffodil Centre and collaborates with global teams on cancer screening evaluations.
Dr. Lilipramawanty Liwin is a Research Fellow at Deakin University's Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation within the Faculty of Arts and Education. With a PhD in Demography from Australian National University and advanced degrees in Social Research and Statistics, she specializes in population health dynamics. PhD, Demography - Australian National University Master, Social Research - Australian National University Bachelor, Statistics - Binus University Her research focuses on chronic disease epidemiology and demographic health transitions , particularly examining BMI trajectories , diabetes burden , and social determinants of health across Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Recent work includes longitudinal analyses of Indonesian populations and cross-sectional studies of Sierra Leonean children. Research outputs demonstrate expertise in microsimulation modeling , age-period-cohort analysis , and multilevel statistical methods . Publications appear in journals like Population Health Metrics and BMJ Public Health , with emerging impact in health policy modeling and disability-free life expectancy studies. Available for Masters and PhD supervision Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus - l.liwin@deakin.edu.au
Associate Professor Liton Kamruzzaman coordinates the Methods Field at Monash University's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Recognized as Australia's top researcher in Urban Studies and Planning (2021, 2023), his work examines transport-land use relationships through spatial analytics and behavioral modeling. Research spans: Sustainable urban mobility systems Transport emissions modeling Autonomous vehicle impacts 20-minute neighborhood design Big data applications in transport Leads projects including ARC Discovery grants on autonomous vehicle impacts ($200k) and NHMRC-funded JIBE study on built environment-health relationships. Supervises 19 PhD students investigating transport equity, urban analytics, and sustainable mobility. Teaches advanced courses in transport engineering (CIV5177) and urban mobility futures (CIV5314).
Ben Phillips is an Associate Professor at the Australian National University (ANU) College of Arts and Social Sciences. He specializes in microsimulation modeling for tax and transfer systems, economic modeling, and public policy analysis, with a focus on housing affordability, superannuation, and income inequality. His research spans economic policy, housing dynamics, and retirement income modeling. Recent work includes analyzing the 2025 Australian Budget, superannuation trends, and behavioral microsimulation methodologies. He contributes to policy discussions through platforms like Policy Forum Pod and Democracy Sausage . Ben is affiliated with the Energy Economics and Policy research group and serves as a contact for the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions. No scientific awards or student advising details are mentioned in the provided texts.
