Deakin researchers among Australia's most highly cited women
Two leading Deakin University academics have been recognised for their research in medical anthropology and financial economics, named in the inaugural Women in Research Citation Awards.
Economist Dr Susan Sharma, from Deakin Business School, and anthropologist Dr Emma Kowal, a member of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, are among just a dozen women named in the awards today.
The awards, presented by Thomson Reuters IP & Science and the Australian National University, aim to honour the outstanding achievements of 12 early to mid-career women researchers in Australia across all fields of research in science, social sciences and the humanities.
Deakin’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Peter Hodgson congratulated the researchers and said their success was reflective of their commitment and passion to their respective fields.
“Both Dr Sharma and Dr Kowal are outstanding examples of researchers who have devoted their careers to making a difference and it is no surprise that their success has been recognised,” Professor Hodgson said.
“More broadly, Deakin is proud to be part of an initiative such as this that aims to improve recognition and opportunities for Australian women researchers.”
Dr Kowal, who graduated from medical school in 2000, found a passion for the politics between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia after moving to Darwin to work in Indigenous health care.
This led to PhD research on her own “tribe” of non-indigenous, left-wing professionals, published as Trapped in the Gap: Doing Good in Indigenous Australia.
“After finishing my PhD, I began postdoctoral research on the use of genetics in Indigenous Australian communities, work that has led to the formation of the National Centre for Indigenous Genomics at the Australian National University where I am Deputy Director,” Dr Kowal said.
“Underlying all my research is an interest in cultural, ethnic or racial difference: how we perceive and respond to difference, and the implications of this for individuals and for building a diverse and equitable society.”
Dr Kowal said building a research career as a young mother – she submitted her PhD when her eldest daughter was seven months old – was a huge challenge that forced her to be highly productive and efficient.
“We know that women are leaving academia in droves in the postdoctoral years. This is a terrible waste of talent and a brain drain we can do a lot to address,” she said.
“Letting women work means allowing research funds to cover childcare in the field or when attending conferences. It means providing appropriate and convenient facilities for breastfeeding and pumping. It means flexibility to work from home and virtual participation in meetings.
“Only when we make it easier for women to combine work and parenting can we know that our research workforce is the best our country can have.”
Dr Sharma, who joined Deakin in 2011, has also encountered career challenges and argues that a critical mass of senior women researchers would allow more young women to reach their research potential.
Dr Sharma’s citation award recognises her advanced knowledge through authoring and co-authoring influential papers within her discipline – a major achievement for a researcher barely in her 30s. Her research has focused on the pricing and profitability of commodity markets and attracted a Deakin Vice-Chancellor’s Early Career Researcher Award in 2015.
This research is of huge significance, with potential to achieve billions of dollars of savings through improved forecasting.
“Forecasting is an integral part of the work of policy makers across a broad spectrum of public policy platforms, such as at the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Australian Treasury. The accuracy of these forecasts affects Australia’s national budget,” Dr Sharma said.
“Deakin has provided me with some excellent opportunities and is taking steps to help women researchers across all disciplines with initiatives such as mentor programs for early career researchers.
“One important lesson I have learnt is that to be confident as a researcher, you need to work hard and be highly motivated, with the goal of achieving your own satisfaction and happiness, rather than just trying to please others.”