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2022 Fellows

Innovation in Criminal Justice

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Annalisa Cercone

Annalisa’s Fellowship will investigate mental health and suicide prevention initiatives for people in custody. Annalisa currently works in mental health reform across Victorian prisons and is working to implement several initiatives. Through her Fellowship she will look into the role of custodial staff and their relevant training in supporting people with lived experience of mental illness, suicide and self-harm; therapeutic prison design and architecture as well as psycho-therapeutic and psycho-social interventions in improving mental health and well-being for people in prison.

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Dean Lloyd

Dean has lived-experience within the criminal justice system, so his Fellowship simply poses the question: can we build safer communities by closing prisons, because punishing people who need help has failed as a method of behaviour change or deterrent. Dean will look at the policy around the attempted closure of Rikers prison in New York, while identifying programs in Australia that successfully reduce recidivism.

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Elle Marengo

Elle's Fellowship will focus on learning best practice from successful rehabilitation-focussed courts, prisons, and services in Norway. Building on her previous research of audio-visual (AV) link technology in Australian Courts and prisons, Elle’s Fellowship seeks to maximise opportunities provided by technology and collaborative practice between systems and services.

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Lukas Carey

Lukas Carey is the Deputy Principal at Youth Futures Community School in Western Australia, a school that provides alternative schooling for students with juvenile justice, mental health, learning disabilities and substance related issues, resulting in them being removed from mainstream education.

Working with people of all ages, who have been or are incarcerated, has highlighted the need for opportunities to break the link between low levels of education and high levels of incarceration, referred to in the literature as the ‘school to prison pipeline’. Lukas’ lived experience, research, employment, advocacy work, webinar and podcast series explore the role of education and place him in a unique position to steer change in this area in Australia.

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Sophie Stewart

Sophie Stewart is the Coalition and Campaign Manager of Social Reinvestment Western Australia.

Sophie hopes to learn more about alternative justice approaches, and the preconditions and strategies of justice reformers who made them possible in society. More than just knowing and sharing models of successful, humane justice responses; We must build public support and political will for reform to achieve change.

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Rosewood Research

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Bhaskar Adeeb
 

Bhaskar intends to research artisan grain farming, milling and the baking industry in Europe and contrast them with their counterparts here in Australia. This research will study and examine various best practices with regards to the milling and baking industries and recommend them for Australian businesses.

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Karly Bartim

Karly Bartrim is a passionate aged care dietitian and PhD candidate at Griffith University. As an aged care dietitian, she has witnessed the positive impacts dietitians have on older people's health and quality of life. Karly's PhD aims to explore dietitians' knowledge, skills, and attitudes at providing nutrition care to older Australians in residential aged care and home care services. Through the Nutrition in Aged Care Fellowship, Karly will be travelling to Canada to interview and observe world leaders of the aged care dietitian workforce. From the fellowship, she hopes to improve her capacity to lead dietetic workforce initiatives in Australia that support dietitians working in aged care and, importantly, improve older people's lives through adequate nutrition.

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Ruwan Lal Colombage

Ruwan is a bakery trainer and assessor with many training organisations in Victoria including William Angliss Institute, Baxter Institute, Melbourne Polytechnic, Chisholm Institute, and currently working with Bendigo Kangan Institute. Ruwan trains and assesses apprentice bakers in the workplace environment. Ruwan’s research is to discover baking techniques with little additives.

Most of Europe is now looking for natural baking methods and supports long fermentation processes that promote gut health. This fellowship will allow Ruwan to visit Europe’s prime baking institutes and organisations to learn the methods in minimalist traditional baking.

Mason Family Trust

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Hannah Maling 

Hannah Maling is a stained glass artist specialising in the revival of traditional glass painting and staining in Australia. Hannah will be completing a four week placement at Judson Studios, which is the oldest stained glass studio in America. At Judson Studios, Hannah will learn new skills and discover innovative solutions to contemporary stained glass window painting practices. 

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Nadine Keegan

Nadine's Fellowship will investigate European Stained glass approaches, primarily focusing on the developments made through the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts eras in Belgium and England respectively. Nadine is planning a residency with a European stained glass studio working in both the traditional and contemporary styles that will focus on identifying and attaining the practical skills needed to complete both conservation and new projects.

Italian Australian Fellowship

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Rosa Campagnaro

Rosa is the artistic director of Rosa is the artistic director of Make a Scene Theatre, a theatre education company that teaches traditional Italian 'Commedia dell’Arte' theatre. This Fellowship will see Rosa delve deeper into the traditions and - potentially outdated tropes - of Commedia through a bespoke residency with Master Teacher and mentor, Giovanni Fusetti, in Padua, Italy. 

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Bobby Corica

Bobby Corica Fellowship research investigates repurposing and recycling waste materials within design practice. With a focus on glassblowing and silversmithing, Bobby is travelling to Italy to explore skills to improve sustainability within the Australian jewellery design sector. Additionally, Bobby will observe Italian refining and recycling technologies and investigate whether they can be adapted to smaller-scale studio environments.

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Catherine Cervasio

Catherine Cevasio is a pioneer in the natural skincare space and founded Aromababy – the first brand for mother and baby to use natural and organic ingredients. With this Fellowship, Catherine is looking to explore the use of novel food ingredients including tomatoes, grapes and olives and their potential benefits and applications in skincare formulations, along with any technology that improves the ingredient as a raw material

Vocational Education & Training Fellowship

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David Noordhoff

David Noordhoff teaches advance construction design and technology at Swinburne University. His Fellowship will investigate BIM (Building Information Modelling), which is a collaborative project management process used to manage the design, construction, infrastructure, and facilities assets for large scale engineering projects. BIM software has been around for over 10 years, yet Australia is still lagging with its uptake and integration of this software. This Fellowship intends to investigate the contributing factors leading to a disorganised approach to BIM integration in Australia and how can they be overcome.

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Ani Maria Tom

The focus area of Ani's fellowship is Developing quality training with deep and meaningful connections to emerging or ongoing industry needs. As a VET Trainer who is also engaged in Work Integrated Learning, Ani came to know the importance of work-based learning and industry partnerships in vocational education. Her aim in undertaking this Fellowship is to investigate into the global practices to integrate work based learning into curricula to prepare the learners for the world of work and have ongoing connection between the industry and VET providers.

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Tanja Rykovska

Tanja Rykovska is an English as Additional Language teacher working with adults who are in transition to new employment opportunities. In her research, Tanja would like to focus on digital literacy and use of technology in the context of lifelong learning. This research will look at the role teachers and educators play in adult learners’ readiness to adopt technology, and explore the need to train people in digital communications and technology alongside the current curriculum.

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Jason Skues

Jason joins us from Swinburne University and intends to look at how poor mental health affects the outcomes of vocational education students. The Fellowship will investigate barriers a student might have in disclosing their mental health concerns, and if that relates to lack of awareness around mental health and whether there is still a stigma in reaching out for support. Jason intends to delve into the mental health literacy so teachers can integrate this knowledge and support into their teaching practice.

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John Flett

The Vocational Education and Training sector is under enormous pressure to remain relevant and responsive to the needs of its key stakeholders. John Flett’s Fellowship will study applied research techniques used in the agricultural and energy sectors by a Canadian polytechnics. He plans to visit Olds College, Red River College Polytech and Saketchewan Polytechnic, as well as attend the 2023 World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics Congress in Montreal. The findings and their application to a Victorian educational context will be shared with educators, researchers and decision makers.

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Rohit Gupta

Australia is a diverse nation with at least a third of us born overseas. However, newly arrived migrants who may hold former overseas qualifications and industry experience offer international experience and knowledge as vocational teachers. Currently there are significant barriers to their entry into the VET system.

Through the Fellowship, I will explore strategies undertaken by VET systems in countries that have comparable migration patterns and have had success in being more inclusive and supportive of newly arrived migrants to become vocational educators.

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Stephanie Goetze-Thies

Trauma Informed Practice is founded on five core principles which require the development of safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment in the teacher/student relationship; and Strengths Based Teaching supports teachers to seek out the strengths and capacities of a student rather than take a deficit based approach.

 

Utilising these approaches can improve educational outcomes through increased retention rates and successful course completions, fewer serious incidents, and less teacher burnout. Trauma informed and strengths based teaching is not a panacea for all challenging behaviours in VET but it empowers students and teachers to achieve their educational goals. 

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Andrew Hardiman

Andrew Hardiman’s Fellowship aims to explore American and Canadian models of VET delivery to school students. Andrew will meet with a number of education directorates in the east coast of USA along with industry groups to see how they best engage and educate school students vocationally. In Victoria we now have a new Vocational Major VCE certificate that relies on students completing more vocational training as a key component of their education and preparation for future pathways. The challenge is to have contemporary models that allow industry to be a significant partner is developing students through work placement and create a system for students to be assessed in the workplace compared to long hours in TAFE settings.

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Jane Collins

Jane’s Fellowship research aims to explore the different strategies used to integrate support for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) students into the delivery of Vocational Education. From the initial research, Jane has found that strategies and support for these students need to be further developed. Most of the strategies are centred around Primary and Secondary school years. Most common support offered in post-secondary institutions are counselling services, mentors, support with IT and online assistance, extensions etc. Jane aims to combine my extensive experience in teaching, assessment, and curriculum development to implement short term and long-term practical guidelines and strategies at a classroom and program level that teachers/trainers can use to enhance the experience of this neurodiverse cohort.

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Sue Robinson

This Fellowship’s purpose is to connect with leading training providers in the unique skill of Visual Merchandising.  As major innovative in global retail redefines the digital and physical landscape, Sue aims to capture best practice and to create meaningful, transformative learning experiences. How are international RTOs incorporating the digital transformation in their delivery? What does Visual Merchandising need to deliver for future students and employers? This Fellowship will provide the opportunity to attend the International Visual Merchandising Worldskills Competition in Stockholm to understand the changes they are implementing in their training.

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Paul Wilson

The aim of this Fellowship is to gain information from European countries that are currently researching and supplying hydrogen gas for consumers. The Australia government is targeting renewable technologies and resources. This had an immediate effect on the gas industry making moves to develop hydrogen gas for our consumers.


With this Fellowship, Paul will look at what has been implemented by European countries and how they have addressed potential knowledge gaps for plumbers and gas fitters.

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Lizzie Knight

Lizzie Knight’s Fellowship seeks to improve the capacity of existing VET staff and trainers to become more confident and inclusive practitioners.

A commonwealth review in 2021 found that VET in Australia is lacking in resources to support students with disabilities. Staff are stressed and stretched, needing new approaches to deliver inclusive VET. Internationally, there are developing modes of practice and cutting-edge andragogic research offering novel ways to support students with disability that are both less resource-intensive and have potential for being more effective. Central in this seems to be the integration of universal design for learning, focus on course content and assessment. 

George Alexander Foundation Fellowship

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This Fellowship will investigate the specific techniques and approaches being used by firms internationally that are enhancing and redefining how landscape architects respond to our changing climates. Through comparing select firms and landscapes at the forefront of the profession, this fellowship will deepen practice and understanding for creating resilient spaces and how this can be applied to South Australia’s climate. I aim for these findings to bring a new layer of thinking to the Australian industry, prompting further discussions, inspiration and applicable techniques and principles for landscape architects to pursue further in the design of our spaces.

Oliver Johnson

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Vincent Meyrick

Vincent is an 18 year old Knitwear technician in-training currently working at Knovus Melbourne – for another ISSI Fellow, Patrica Chirop. Vincent is studying Japanese and pattern making with a deep interest in fashion; particularly in reviving tailoring and knitwear as a part of the textile industry. Knovus Melbourne uses state-of-the-art Japanese Shima Seiki Knitting machines which are highly technical and reduce waste significantly, producing environmentally conscious knitwear. Vincent plans to take a knitwear programming course in Wakayama, Japan at Shima Seiki headquarters. While there I will undergo intensive training around 3D, seamless and zero waste knitting.

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Kiri Bowmer

The focus of Kiri’s proposal explores the role of ‘dye gardens’ within the context of Landscape Architecture. A dye garden is a garden that includes a curated selection of plants and equipment for the purpose of creating natural dyes and pigments. Kiri's proposal is that the function of dye gardens within community spaces can become radical catalysts for healing - promoting social connectivity, knowledge sharing, skill sharing and environmental sustainability. 

Notionally, the exploration of dye gardens can form new intellectual and conceptual underpinnings for more meaningful landscape design.

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Liana Perillo

Liana is a professional harpist, vocalist and registered music therapist whose band Perolas Music has been showcased at various live music venues and events around Melbourne. Her Fellowship looks to develop her skills at a Harpist, traveling to World Harp Congress in July followed by private lessons with Jess Harpist Tara Minton in London. Upon returning home, Liana plans to attend the Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) training. GIM is a psychodynamic and multimodal therapy that incorporates music listening in a deeply relaxed state to stimulate imagery, memories and feelings to help an individual understand life issues from a holistic perspective - which Liana will be able to apply to her clients in music therapy.

 

This Fellowship will ultimately address the skills gap in Harp education, allowing Liana to develop her skills as a performer and therapist.‘

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Keir Bayley

Keir's Fellowship will focus on gaining knowledge into the technical approaches and practical skills involved in the conservation and repair to the metalworks of public sculpture and heritage buildings abiding conservation codes of ethics. This fellowship will be undertaken mainly in the UK where I will visit establishments and attend courses lead by leading practitioners in the field such as the

‘Conservation and Repair of Architectural and Structural Metalwork’ at West Dean Collage run by John Wallis of Dorothea Restorations, UK.

 

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Ella Saddington

Ella Saddington is an interdisciplinary designer working across furniture and object design, she holds a particular interest in traditional and historical western-European craft practices that are under threat of disappearing. Ella’s Fellowship will focus on undertaking skill development and research on the manufacturing techniques of 14th -18th century European plate armour. The skill and research undertaken within the Fellowship will form an integral role in the development of a new body of work utilising armoury techniques for the production of design pieces.

Innovation in Ageing

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Bridget Laging

Dr Bridget Laging is a social gerontologist and registered nurse. The 2022 Innovation in Ageing International Fellowship will support Bridget to travel to the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, Canada where she holds a role as an Honorary Professor in the School of Nursing. This fellowship will support her to undertake a workplace practices study in a unique purpose-built residential aged care simulation laboratory. She will work with a team of researchers to develop innovative simulation-based approaches to evaluate team dynamics and established patterns of communication during routine and exceptional (adverse event) simulated scenarios. Bridget hopes to return to Australia with novel and innovative strategies to support greater insight into safe workload allocations in the residential aged care setting.  

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Chirag Patel

Chirag has worked in the Aged Care sector for the past 13 years, and has chosen to do his Fellowship on workforce planning. The intent is to investigate how building positive and engaging relationships between the carer and the elderly person will benefit the quality of care. Carers that work with people on a consistent basis, not only improve the quality of life, but also improve the recipient’s satisfaction in care.

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Nirmal Dayaratna

Nirmal Dayaratna is a final year medical student at the University of Sydney and an avid researcher, currently undertaking projects at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. He is passionate about surgery, improving healthcare quality and outcomes and promoting innovation in healthcare. With experience in public health policy and aged care, he will be looking into person-centred care in the community setting for older adults to promote quality care services to all Australians. 

Sir James Gobbo Legacy Fellowship

Palladio Foundation

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Molly Faull

Molly intends to enhance her practice in technical wool knitwear through exposure to the world’s capital of textile craftsmanship, Italy. Molly aims to address the knowledge gap of yarn spinning in Australia, whilst exploring heritage and new wool recycling methods to develop the quality of knitwear in Australia, further supply chain knowledge, and subsequently promote circularity. Through understanding state-of-the-art yarn spinning technology, Molly can apply and share knowledge to encourage innovative textile applications, whilst investigating opportunities to support the ongoing demand of one of Australia’s largest export commodities, Merino wool. 

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Paul Tivendale

Paul's Fellowship will research further practices in traditional wheelwrighting; the trade of making, repairing and conserving timber spoked wheels. Through the fellowship, Paul hopes to focus on the lack of practical skills and structured training in the Australian market.

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