A researcher from The University of Western Australia and Telethon Kids Institute with a passion to make a difference to children’s health and wellbeing has been named WA Young Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year.
Associate Professor Hayley Christian, Senior Research Fellow from UWA’s School of Population and Global Health and Telethon Kids Institute, took out the top prize at the 2020 WA Young Tall Poppy Science Awards, announced last night.
She was one of seven WA Young Tall Poppy scientists selected this year.
Associate Professor Christian’s research focuses on improving children’s physical activity, health and development through interventions focused on the child, the family, and social and built environments.
This includes identifying and testing strategies to create healthy early childhood education and care environments and investigating how the home and neighbourhood environment shapes children’s health and development.
UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Tim Colmer said Dr Christian’s award was well deserved, with her tireless work to improve the health and development of children and build positive, healthy communities.
“Hayley’s research has highlighted ways of improving the health of communities and our young people and is going a long way in helping government, policy makers and educators work together to develop positive outcomes for our young people,” Professor Colmer said.
The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) to honour up-and-coming scientists who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science.
The awards are held on a state-by-state basis to celebrate researchers across science, engineering and mathematics.
The recipients were honoured during a special ceremony at the Australia II Gallery within the WA Museum in Fremantle last night.
