The University of Western Australia has a continual roll call of awards, scholarships and prizes presented to staff and students.
To recognise these achievements, an article is published on the UWA news page on the website and in UWA Forward on the first week of every month. If you know of great awards or achievements across the University please email [email protected].
Name: Kathryn Fitzgerald
Achievement: Senior lecturer with the WA Centre for Rural Health, Kathryn Fitzgerald, was honoured by Speech Pathology Australia for her 40 years of membership with the association. Mrs Fitzgerald, a rural and remote allied health advocate, educator and speech pathology clinician, has dedicated her career to supporting communities in the Mid West and Pilbara. Her work has included establishing regional outreach services as well as Geraldton’s first private speech pathology practice and a not-for-profit organisation to assist families of children with disabilities. Since joining WACRH at UWA in 2012 – a move that allowed her to combine her clinical and rural health background with teaching and research – she has helped build rural placement programs throughout the Mid West. Speech Pathology Australia’s WA branch recognised Mrs Fitzgerald and other long-standing members for their distinguished service, dedication, and lasting contributions to the speech pathology profession.
Name: Mia Jeffrey
Achievement: Mia Jeffrey, media and communications officer for WA Centre for Rural Health, has been awarded the highly commended prize in the professional category for the Australian Rural Health Education Network 2025 David Lyle Prize for Rural and Remote Health. The judging panel were impressed by her leadership of the ARHEN Communications Officers community of practice, work to forge strong connections and share best practice with the other WA university departments of rural health, and commitment to WACRH and the rural community.
Name: Leon Flicker
Achievement: Professor Leon Flicker, the inaugural Professor of Geriatric Medicine at UWA, received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Asia Pacific Geriatric Network. He received the award from the Health Minister of Nepal in Kathmandu in recognition of a lifetime unparalleled dedication and contributions to the field of geriatric medicine. Professor Flicker has been Chair of Asia Pacific Geriatric Medicine Network for the past 15 years. He received an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contributions to geriatric medicine and dementia prevention and care. His research has focused on the major health issues of older people, including falls, depression and cognitive impairment.
Congratulations UWA staff, alumni and students.
Image top: Senior lecturer Kathryn Fitzgerald, Professor Leon Flicker and Mia Jeffrey.