Celebrating Excellence and Innovation in Academic Public Health

The CAPHIA awards recognises, celebrates and promotes innovation and excellence in public health teaching and research within Australasia. The award for the very best and brightest academics serves to encourage and inspire the many generations to come and uplift the quality of public health education and research.

The awards recognise individuals or teams currently working at a CAPHIA member institution who have made an outstanding contribution to public health teaching and learning, and/or research and who have clearly demonstrated excellence and innovation.

Seven awards, across three categories are available for 2024 with Individual, ECA and Team Types.

Submission Process:

Nominations are submitted via the survey links provided below. See the Submission Guide for details.

Nominations Open: Friday 24th May 2024

Nominations Close: Friday 5th July, 2024

Research Categories

2023 CAPHIA Award Winners

We were thrilled to announce the 2023 CAPHIA Award Winners at the Teaching and Learning Forum in Adelaide on September 23, 2023.

CAPHIA Medal

Professor Rosemary McKenzie, The University of Melbourne

Research Excellence

Early Career Researcher: Dr Din Bui, The University of Melbourne
Individual Contributor: Professor Aziz Rahman, Federation University
Team: Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Monash University

Teaching Excellence

Early Career Academic: Dr Vivian Romero, Central Queensland University
Individual Contribution: Associate Professor Hassan Hosseinzadeh, University of Wollongong
Team: Mental Health and Addiction Teaching Team, Massey University

Congratulations to all winners!

Winners receive complimentary Registration to the 2024 CAPHIA Teaching and Learning Forum.

Thank you to all those who applied and to the Academic Development Working Group for reviewing the applications.

CAHIA Award Winners 2022

CAPHIA Medal

Professor Dragan Ilic – Monash University

Scholarship-Informed Teaching and Learning

Team – La Trobe University

Teaching Excellence

Team – The University of Queensland Bachelor of Health Sciences’ first year Course Coordinator team

Individual – A/Prof Stephanie Topp James Cook University

Early Career Academic – Dr Rimante Ronto Macquarie University

Teaching Innovation

Team – The University of Queensland, Using reflexivity to support learning and action in health promotion

Individual – Dr Julie Saunders The University of Western Australia

We look forward to hearing from the winners over the next year to showcase their award-winning public health education!

Read the announcement here.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 CAPHIA Awards!

The Early Career Teaching Award was won by: Alexandra Bhatti, Macquarie University.

The Commendation Award was won by: Dr Catherine Fleming, Western Sydney University.

The Teaching Team Award was won by: Associate Professor Lisa Hall; Dr Anna Finnane; Dr Melinda Protani; Dr Tracey Di Sipio; Dr Darsy Darssan; University of Queensland.

The Commendation Award was won by: Dr Arienne Reis; Ms Rowena Saheb; Mr Sam Dessen; Dr Rachel Bentley; Western Sydney University.

The Individual Teaching Award was won by: Dr Huijun Chih, Curtin University.

The Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health by a Team was won by:

The Public Health Team Research Award was won by:. Dr Chris Londale, Australian Catholic University; Dr Taren Sanders, Australian Catholic University; Dr Michael Noetel, Australian Catholic University; Dr Philip Parker, Australian Catholic University; Professor David Lubans, University of Newcastle; Professor Philip Morgan, University of Newcastle; Professor Jo Salmon, Deakin University; Dr Marj Moody, Deakin University.

The Commendation Award was won by: Professor Deborah Loxton; Professor Julie Byles; Ms Natalie Townsend; Ms Peta Forder; Mrs Anna Graves; Mr Ryan Tuckerman; Mrs Katherine Tuckerman; and Mrs Clare Thomson; University of Newcastle.

The PHD Excellence in Public Health was won by: Dr Rongbin Xu, Monash University.

The Commendation Award was won by: Kristen Foley, Flinders University.

And, finally, the CAPHIA 2021 President’s Award was awarded to: Associate Professor Lisa Fitzgerald and Associate Professor Allyson Mutch, University of Queensland for their work addressing critical social justice issues through research.

Congratulations to all the Award recipients.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 CAPHIA Awards!

Dr Rebecca Lindberg, Dr Kristy Bolton and Dr Georgie Russell, Deakin University, Early Career Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Teaching

Dr Amanda D’Souza, Dr Caroline Shaw, Professor Louise Signal, Professor Michael Baker, Dr Mel McLeod, Professor Simon Hales, Professor Nick Wilson, Professor Richard Edwards, Dr Keri Lawson-Te Aho, Dr Johanna Reidy, Dr Ruth Cunningham, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig and Mr Jamie Yeates, University of Otago Wellington, Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Team by a Team.

Professor Jo Salmon, Professor Anna Timperio, Professor Adrian Bauman, Professor David Lubans, Associate Professor Chris Lonsdale, Dr Harriet Koorts, Associate Professor Amanda Telford, Associate professor Nicola Ridgers, Associate Professor Lisa Barnett, Dr Karen Lamb, Dr Natalie Lander, Dr Lauren Arundell, Dr Helen Brown, and Mr Sam Cassar, Deakin University, Public Health Team Research Award.

Dr Amy Peden, University of New South Wales, PHD Excellence in Public Health.

Professor Peng Bi, University of Adelaide, CAPHIA 2020 President’s Award.

Congratulations to the winners of the CAPHIA Awards 2019!

The CAPHIA Awards showcase excellent public health teaching and research throughout Australasia.

CAPHIA 2019 Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Teaching

Dr Tam Ha, University of Wollongong

CAPHIA 2019 Early Career Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Teaching

Dr Natasha Weaver, University of Newcastle. Dr Weaver’s presentation at the 2019 CAPHIA Teaching and Learning Forum on her work.

CAPHIA 2019 President’s Award for Lifelong Commitment to Improving Public Health Through Student Learning

Professor Tim Driscoll, University of Sydney. Professor Driscoll’s presentation at the 2019 CAPHIA Teaching and Learning Forum.

CAPHIA 2019 Team Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Team Research

Ms Jaithri Ananthapavan, A/Prof Gary Sacks, Dr Vicki Brown, Prof Marj Moodie, Ms Phuong Nguyen, Dr Anita Lal, Prof Anna Peeters and Prof Rob Carter, Deakin University. The team’s presentation at the 2019 CAPHIA Teaching and Learning Forum on their work leading.

CAPHIA 2019 Award for PhD Excellence in Public Health

Dr Rebecca Hodder, University of Newcastle

Congratulations to the winners of the CAPHIA Awards 2018!

Every year, CAPHIA celebrates the achievements of excellent public health teaching and research staff across Australia and New Zealand.

CAPHIA 2018 Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Teaching

Professor Melissa Haswell, Queensland University of Technology

Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Teaching (Early Career)

Dr Tazeen Majeed, University of Newcastle

CAPHIA 2018 President’s Award for Enhancing the Public Health Workforce Through Mentoring

Professor Kylie Ball, Deakin University

CAPHIA 2018 Award for Excellence and Innovation on Public Health Team Research

Dr Lisa Wood and Dr Karen Martin, University of Western Australia

CAPHIA 2018 Award for PhD Excellence in Public Health

Dr Victoria Brown, Deakin University

CAPHIA congratulates the winners of the 2017 Awards

CAPHIA 2017 Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Teaching

Dr Ian Li

CAPHIA 2017 Award for Early Career Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Teaching

Dr Cathy Day and Dr Erin Walsh

CAPHIA 2017 President’s Award for Improving Health Globally Through International Teaching or Research Collaboration

Health Systems Improvement Unit:

Prof Richard Osborne, Dr Alison Beauchamp, Mr Roy Batterham, Dr Siew Lim, Ms Melanie Hawkins, Dr Jonathon O’Hara, Ms Crystal McPhee, Ms Rhonda Garad, Mr Brad Ashbury, Ms Rebecca Jessup, Ms Anita Trezona, Ms Melanie Hawkins, Ms Christina Cheng, Prof Gerry Elsworth, Prof Nancy Huang, Dr Sarity Dodson, Dr Sarity Dodson, Dr Sandra Nolte, A/Prof Marie Birk Jørgensen, A/Prof Helle Terkildsen Maindal, Dr RV Richard