Men's Health Research Symposium – Wednesday 24th June

This event brings together academics from different disciplines and backgrounds with a shared interest in men’s health to explore common understandings (and misunderstandings), discuss some of the big ideas in men’s health research and explore opportunities for greater collaboration.

1	Morning - Session 1: 10am – 11.30am (AEST) Men’s health, what is it and why do we need to research it? Chaired by Dr Anthony Brown, Chair of Global Action for Men's Health and adjunct fellow at the Men's Health Information and Resource Centre Speakers include: Professor John Macdonald of the Men's Health Information and Resource Centre at Western Sydney University Professor John Oliffe, founder and lead investigator of the University of British Colombia’s Men’s Health Research program Professor Derek M. Griffith, Director of the Institute for Research on Men’s Health, Vanderbilt University Professor James Smith, a Father Frank Flynn Fellow at Menzies School of Health Research and current Editor-in-Chief of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia.
2	Morning - Session 2: 11.45am – 1.00pm (AEST) Big ideas, sharing research that makes a difference Speakers include: Professor Jane Pirkis, Director of the Centre for Mental Health in the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health who is leading $5.6m research project into male suicide prevention funded by the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission Dr Zac Seidler, founder of Man Island and Director of Health Professional Training at Movember. Zac is currently creating the world’s first online program to train mental health practitioners in engaging men in treatment. Dr Galina Daraganova, Executive Manager of Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies and the Australian Institute of Family Studies which manages Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health. Dr Eleanor Quested is a senior research fellow at Curtin University. She leads the ‘Aussie Fans in Training’ research project, a weight loss intervention for middle-aged overweight and obese male AFL fans.
3	Lunchtime Talks - Session 3: 1pm-2pm (AEST) Emerging minds, new ideas, the next generation Speakers include: Simon Tyler, PHD Candidate at Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Research Group - University of South Australia. Rebecca Stewart, second year doctoral researcher at Monash University, exploring how 'healthier masculinities' can influence attitudes and behaviours, in partnership with VicHealth. Anthony Merlino, project assistant, Menzies School of Health Research, working on projects regarding alcohol-treatment services and the higher education aspirations and participation of Indigenous Australian men. Kate Obst is completing a combined PhD/Master of Psychology (Health) program at the University of Adelaide. Her work explores the impact of pregnancy loss and neonatal loss with a focus on understanding men's grief and support needs.
4	Afternoon - Session 4: 2pm – 3.15pm (AEST) Researching masculinity, is it good for men’s health? Speakers include: Natalie Russell Principal Program Officer – Mental Wellbeing, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) who oversees VIcHealth's healthy masculinities work. Professor Deborah Turnbull, Chair in Psychology at the University of Adelaide and member of the Freemasons' Foundation Centre for Men's Health Management Committee, presenting with Dr Stefanie Lopriore, whose research focuses the interactions of male callers to an Australian health helpline. Dr Cristina Caperchione, Associate Professor, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at UTS, who has published numerous paper on men's health including being co-author of "Community-based men's health promotion programs: eight lessons learnt and their caveats". Bhiamie Williamson is a Euahlayi man from north-west NSW and south-west Qld. Bhiamie is a PhD scholar with the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at the Australian National University. His research areas include Indigenous Men and Masculinities.
5	Afternoon - Session 5: 3.30pm – 5.00pm (AEST) Working together, how do we make collaboration work? Speakers include: Dr Noel Richardson is the Director of healthCORE at the Institute of Technology in Carlow, Ireland. Noel has worked on two national men's health policies and has collaborated with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on a Men’s Health Strategy for the WHO European Region. Dr Jacqui Macdonald is a senior research fellow in developmental psychology at Deakin University. She leads a body of research on paternal perinatal mental health and wellbeing and sits on the steering committee of the Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium. Dr Kylie King is a senior research fellow at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash Uni. Kylie led an RCT that evaluated the impact of the Man Up documentary on men's help-seeking, and a qualitative study that explored older men's views about ageing and suicide. Dr Myles Young is a lecturer at the University of Newcastle's school of psychology. His work focuses on improving men’s health through gender targeted and sustainable weight loss programs and involves collaboration across different disciplines including men’s health, physical activity, nutrition and dietetics, psychology, psychiatry and exercise physiology.