Celebrating Excellence and Innovation in Academic Public Health 

The CAPHIA Teaching Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding practice in public health education across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Pacific. These awards acknowledge educators who demonstrate exceptional teaching practices and contribute to advancing the quality of public health education.

The 2025 CAPHIA Awards were redeveloped by the Advocacy and Engagement Committee, co-chaired by Professor Lisa Hall and Associate Professor Christine Severinsen. 

The awards focus on teaching and learning within public health education, with emphasis on curriculum development and delivery, scholarship of teaching and learning, creative pedagogical approaches, and evidence-based reflection.

The awards aim to recognise the breadth of contributions that enhance public health education and inspire continued innovation in the field. We acknowledge a range of evidence, including traditional academic outputs, alongside community collaborations, creative teaching resources, student success outcomes, professional partnerships, assessment innovation, and research-informed practices.

Each award is merit-based and may not be awarded in any given year. Where appropriate, awards may be jointly awarded to two individuals or teams.

 

2025 Award submissions now open!

Close August 29, 2025
Read the Award Guideline for details. 

 

Award Guide
Submission Form

Previous CAPHIA Award Winners 2017 - 2024

Professor Colleen Fisher (right) pictured with CAPHIA Chair Professor Rebecca Ivers, was awarded the prestigious 2024 CAPHIA Medal. The CAPHIA Medal celebrates the diversity and long-term strategic thinking of leaders in Public Health. Medallists are recognised for driving improvements, innovation and capability building in public health throughout their career. Professor Fisher embodies the Medal through her deep and sustained impact to public health education and research both locally and globally including as Vice President of APHEA Board of Accreditation, previous CAPHIA President and various roles advancing student engagement, knowledge translation and effective policy.

Congratulations also to 2024 CAPHIA Award winners who have demonstrated outstanding public health teaching and research across Australasia.

Teaching Excellence

Team: MERQ (Medical Education Research Quality, Monash University)

Individual: Dr Kate Dundas, University of Newcastle

Early Career Academic: Dr Abela Mahimbo, University of Technology Sydney

Research Excellence

Team: UQ Star Project, The University of Queensland

Early Career Researcher: Dr Sheik Mohammad Alif, Federation University

 

Read the Profiles of all 2024 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
 
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

Read the Profiles of the 2022 Award Winners

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.

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.

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

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 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

CAPHIA 2017 Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Team Research

Prof C Raina MacIntyre, Dr Holly Seale, Dr Md Bayzidur Rahman, Dr Abrar Ahmad Chughtai, A/Prof Anthony Newall, Dr Anita Heywood, Dr James Wood

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

Dr Adrian Cameron and Dr Gary Sacks

CAPHIA 2017 Award for PhD Excellence in Public Health

Dr Anna Nicholson