Health researchers awarded Franklin Women’s Carer’s Scholarship
Dr Bao Nguyen, Research Fellow in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, and Optometry and Vision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS), and Dr Kate Filia, Senior Research Fellow at Orygen and MDHS will be supported by the Franklin Women’s Carer’s Scholarship to alleviate barriers associated with unpaid caring responsibilities and take advantage of professional opportunities.
Dr Bao Nguyen is a clinician-scientist, and is developing an intracranial pressure measuring device. She is also the primary carer of two young children and her ill father. The scholarship will pay for additional days of childcare to allow Dr Nguyen to be involved in the Translating Research At Melbourne (TRAM) research accelerator programs.
Upon receiving the scholarship Dr Nguyen said, “I am grateful for this support from Franklin Women at such a crucial career pivot for me. The Carer's Scholarship will boost my ability to commit to the medtech development and commercialisation pathway.”
Dr Kate Filia’s research focusses on improving understanding the role of social inclusion in the prevention, treatment and ongoing management of mental ill-health for young people.
"This scholarship provides not only financial support for me to take advantage of an important career-building opportunity, but also the chance to feel that my contributions to my family are not unseen, and that the challenges of caregiving are recognised by others in a career context. I am genuinely grateful for this," said Dr Filia.
Franklin Women is a professional community in Australia dedicated to supporting the careers of women working across the health and medical research ecosystem.
The Franklin Women’s Carer’s scholarship aims to retain talented women in scientific research in Australia, acknowledging the impact of unpaid caring responsibilities on carer’s ability to embrace and fully participate in professional opportunities.