Guest Speakers

Prof Aunty Kerrie Doyle, Associate Dean of Indigenous Health at Western Sydney University, Australia

Professor Aunty Kerrie Doyle is a researcher with a nursing background who has devoted her life to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She is an allied health specialist and leader in health systems and First Nations health research and health literacy, including access to and utilisation of health care. Professor Doyle has published extensively, and her work has expanded knowledge, raised awareness, and developed an understanding of the contributing factors of Aboriginal and Strait Islander peoples and the determinants of good health. She has worked internationally in other areas requiring cultural competence and safety, including a position with the World Health Organisation in Oman. Professor Doyle was the first Indigenous Australian woman to graduate from Oxford University, receiving the Graduate Scholar Award from Wolfson College in 2013. She has extensive experience in knowledge mobilisation, including knowledge synthesis, scoping reviews, and rapid evidence checks.

Fiona Salisbury, Executive Director, Library Services at Western Sydney University, Australia

Fiona Salisbury has been Executive Director of Library Services at Western Sydney University since 2022. Fiona joined Western from La Trobe University, where she served as Executive Director and University Librarian. She has a career track record of success that has spanned library learning, research, literacy, and engagement portfolios. Fiona has a deep, scholarly understanding of the role of the university library in the future of higher education and is highly regarded as having expertise in open textbook publishing. Fiona has been a Director on the Board of the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) since 2020. She is currently Deputy Chair of CAUL and the Program Director for the CAUL Open Educational Resources Program. This program includes the CAUL Open Educational Resources Collective, an open textbook publishing initiative involving 42 universities and has published 35 open textbooks since 2022.

Lucy Walton, Scholarly Publishing Consultant at Western Sydney University, Australia

With over 30 years of experience working in academic and corporate libraries, Lucy Walton has significantly impacted the field through her dedication and expertise. She earned her Graduate Diploma of Applied Science (Information) from the University of Technology, Sydney, providing a strong foundation for her distinguished career. Lucy has revolutionized how authors at her institution strategically publish and promote their work, implementing innovative strategies that have set new standards. She leads initiatives that empower academics and institutions to adeptly navigate the dynamic landscape of scholarly communication. As the author of A Guide to Creative Commons, an open-access book tailored for the academic community, Lucy has contributed valuable insights and guidance to the field. Her commitment as a research librarian is evident in her efforts to foster collaboration and advocate for inclusive publishing practices. Currently serving as the Scholarly Publishing Consultant at Western Sydney University Library, Lucy continues to drive innovation and excellence. She is currently serving as the Scholarly Publishing Consultant at Western Sydney University.

A/Prof Richard Oloruntoba

A/Prof. Richard Oloruntoba has 13 years of business and management experience in Nigeria and the UK and 23 years of full-time research and teaching experience in business and management at UK and Australian Universities. He has published 120+ articles, mainly on supply chain management issues, and his research has attracted over $300K in competitive funding and several international awards. Richard is a Senior Associate Editor of the International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management. He is from Curtin Business School, Curtin University, WA.

Dr James Kojo Prah, Director of Health Services at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Dr. James Kojo Prah is a Public Health Specialist and clinical Parasitologist with special interests in maternal health, occupational health, and infectious diseases. He is also the Director of Health Services at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is a part-time lecturer on clinical medicine, systemic diseases, pathophysiology, anatomy, and physiology at UCC and advanced data management at the Faculty of Public Health, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Prof Hayward B. Mafuyai, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Nigeria (2011-2016)

Professor Hayward Babale Mafuyai, a distinguished Professor of Public Health Entomology, served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Nigeria (2011-2016). He was a Takemi Fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He holds a doctorate in onchocerciasis from the University of Salford, UK, supported by a WHO/TDR grant. He has postgraduate qualifications in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (ICGEB, New Delhi) and Biodiversity Conservation (BGU Israel). Currently, he chairs the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee of TETFund, Nigeria. His research focuses on blackfly pheromones, trapping technologies, and AI-based malaria trend predictions. He has contributed to the National Malaria Elimination Programme and the National Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee. Professor Mafuyai has also participated in numerous international programs, including the Science of Eradication: Malaria course in Switzerland and the IVLP in the USA.

Dr John Oladejo, Director of Special Duties in the Office of the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)

Over the past fifteen years, Dr John Oladejo has held leadership positions at the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja. He currently serves as the Director of Special Duties in the Office of the Director-General, overseeing the implementation of the NCDC Strategic plan through regular follow-ups, quarterly steering committee (SteerCo) meetings, and mid/end-term reviews. The successful evaluation of the NCDC 2017-2022 strategic plan informed the development of the current strategic plan.

Dr Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu PhD, MSc, OD, FAAO

Dr Levi is a Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead at the Bathurst Rural Clinical School (BRCS), School of Medicine at Western Sydney University, Australia. He obtained his OD from Abia State University Nigeria, MSc (Aston University with Distinction), PhD from Queensland University of Technology in 2018, and has become a recognised expert in public and eye health research with more than 102 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and a h-Index of 28. He is an award-winning researcher and a Global Burden of Disease Group member. Levi's area of research focuses on population-based strategies for diabetes screening and prevention, and he also leads a multinational study on mental health among Africans.

Levi is the President of the American Academy of Optometry-African Chapter, Board Director of Research and Advocacy for the African Council of Optometry (AFCO), serves on the executive board of two African Australian Largest Research Networks, and is the Convener of two renowned research groups – African Translational Research Group and Centre for Eyecare and Public Health Intervention Initiative (CEPHII) which brought together world-renowned researchers in the eye and Public health. Levi coordinates various local and international research projects for population screening, identification and prevention of diabetes, complications, and health promotion with multidisciplinary, translational policy implications. Levi has collaborated with researchers in leading international and Australian Institutions and with these collaborations.

Recently awarded the Champion Award for Academics, Research, and Planning by the Celebration of African Australians Inc., Levi was awarded the WSU research support grant in 2021. He was twice nominated for DVC early career research awards. He was part of the team awarded the best WSU DVC multidisciplinary team award in 2022 and various local and international research grants.

He mentors young professionals and recently started the African Federation of Optometry Students (AFOS), an initiative to build research capacity, connect them to opportunities, and provide networking platforms with other Optometry students across Africa.

Assoc Prof Kingsley Agho MSc, MEng, PhD, MPH.

Kingsley Agho is an Associate Professor at the School of Health Sciences, Western University Sydney, Australia, and a world-leading researcher in global public health. His research has contributed to programs of research, education, and policy-related messages across Australia, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan African countries. Kingsley has also been involved in designing and analysing large-scale community-based cluster RCTs worth over 12 million dollars with a track record of over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles (H-Index=66, according to Google Scholar, June 2024). Kingsley has mentored young researchers and facilitated research growth and development of alums through mentorship, including graduating 25 PhD students in the past decade, many of whom have been employed in recognised Universities overseas and in Australia. Kingsley is also an Honorary Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg, both in South Africa.