Early Career Academics

By Us, For Us:
Targeted programs, events and services for public health early career academics & higher degree research students

The CAPHIA Early Career Committee comprise members from across Australasia and works to develop and deliver programs and events to support early-career academics (ECA) postgraduate and higher degree research (HDR) students in public health and early career public health professionals.

Early Career Academic Committee Members

2025 Early Career Academic Committee members are:

Sharna Motlap, Charles Darwin University (Co-Chair)
Dr Saiful Islam, University of New South Wales (Co-Chair)
Dr Tiffany Patterson Norrie, Western Sydney University (Deputy Chair)
Dr Connie Gan, Griffith University (Resource Coordinator)
Dr Elise Rivera, Central Queensland University (Research Lead)
Holly Wild, Monash University
Dr Vishnu Khanal, Charles Darwin University
Dr Heena Akbar, The University of Queensland
Nadirah Pozian, Queensland University of Technology

The Catch up Cafe

Piloted in 2024 to connect early career academics and public health professionals from across Australasia, these virtual networking events are run monthly. This year, there may be a theme or a special guest/presenter to explore areas of interest.

Eligibility
Staff and current students from CAPHIA’s member institutions are eligible to join the Catch Up Cafe.

How to join

Complete this form to receive invitations to the monthly, virtual networking sessions.

ECA Blog

If You Lose Us: The Threatened Future for Public Health Education At our September Early Career Academic Catch-Up Café (eve…

When the Classroom Gets Heavy: Finding Hope Amid Crisis Dr Connie Gan Griffith Institute for Human and Environmental Resilience (GIHER)…

Educating in Real Time: How to Stay Up to Date in a Dynamic Policy Environment. Holly Wild As educators in…

One Year As An Indigenous Early Career Researcher. Sharna Motlap NAIDOC Week 2025 marks a powerful 50-year milestone of honouring…

Expression of Interest: Guest Contributor – Early Career Academics Blog & “Catch Up Cafe” 28th April The 2025 CAPHIA (Council…

Bridging Continents: Teaching Master of Public Health in Bangladesh and Australia Dr Sheikh Mohammad Alif Teaching the Master of Public…

Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. Dr Nathan Dawes Starting out as an early career academic was both…

Failures, I’ve had a few Senior Academic PerspectiveECA Blog: July 2024 Professor Richard Franklin Disipline of Public Health and Tropical…

Empowering Students: Tailoring Course Content Through Active Engagement ECA Blog: June 2024 Dr Mikaela Wheeler, Early Career Academic Committee Lecturer,…

Learning how to be a good PhD candidate! ECA Blog, Senior Academic Perspective: May 2024 Anonymous Senior Academic School of…

Move Forward To Find Opportunities To Have An Impact ECA Blog: May 2024 Helen Scudamore, Early Career Academic Committee Secretary…

Navigating Teaching Cultures: Theory vs. Practice in India and Australia ECA Blog: April 2024 Dr Tanmay Bagade, Early Career Academic…

My GOAT networking experience and what I learnt: Take that chance, immerse yourself in the experience, and pay it forward.…

Embracing Discomfort: A Guide for Post-PhD Arrogance and Impostor Syndrome ECA Blog: Senior Academic Perspective, March 2024 Associate Professor Amanda…

Lessons Learned: Be a Rick ECA Blog: March 2024 Dr. Vivian Romero, Early Career Academic Committee, Deputy Chair I adore…

Dear ECA self: What I wish I knew starting out as an ECA knowing what I know now ECA Blog:…

Breaking the Mold: How I Became the GOAT of Classroom Expectations ECA Blog: February 2024 Dr Elise Rivera, Early Career…

To inform their Program of work, the refreshed ECA Committee ran a needs assessment
The Committee run a monthly virtual catch up as a drop in networking event for early career professionals in public health. Subscribe here.
As part of Global Public Health Week 2024, the committee hosted a session: Empowering the Next Generation: Insights from Early Career Academia in Public Health