Dr. Adam Straub is an Addiction Medicine Physician and General Physician. Starting his career in critical care medicine, he pivoted towards Addiction Medicine, driven by his experiences in Emergency Departments and Victoria Police.
Adam is a dedicated advocate for opioid agonist therapy and harm minimisation education, and is the sole Addiction Medicine Physician in regional Victoria, providing essential care at Grampians Health Service, St John of God Ballarat and at Ballarat Community Health, leading the Opioid Management Clinic servicing the Grampians Loddon Mallee region.

A/Prof Sof Andrikopoulos is a NH&MRC Senior Research Fellow/Associate Professor and Head of the Islet Biology and Metabolism Research Group at the University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine (Austin Health) which investigates the genetic susceptibility of islet dysfunction using animal models of diabetes.
This research has led to the hypothesis that increased insulin secretory demand may be a mechanism that contributes to diabetes and that strategies that promote metabolic deceleration may be beneficial.

Christine Lin is a Professor at The Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney Local Health District, and Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney. She is a clinical researcher and investigates the benefits and harms of treatments for pain conditions. Christine is particularly recognised for her research in drug therapy for spinal pain. She has shown that some commonly used medicines for spinal pain are not effective and may be harmful, changing the way these medicines are recommended in policy and practice. Christine receives salary and project funding support from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia. She has a professional background in physiotherapy and obtained a PhD from The University of Sydney in 2008.

Mark Hancock is a Professor of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Macquarie University. He has over 20 years of clinical experience as a musculoskeletal physiotherapist working in a primary care setting. Mark now works primarily as an academic/researcher. His research focuses on the diagnosis and management of back pain. Mark completed his PhD at the University of Sydney in 2007. He has published over 200 peer reviewed papers and received over $11 million in funding to support his research. He has published in leading medical journals (e.g. NEJM, Lancet and BMJ and discipline specific journals (e.g. Spine and Journal of Physiotherapy). His work has been accompanied by editorials and received wide media attention. Professor Hancock is a member of the associate editorial board for the Cochrane Back Review Group and Journal of Physiotherapy board member.

Petra is an Associate Professor and biostatistician in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University

Dr Natasha Pocovi is a postdoctoral researcher, physiotherapist, and casual tutor at Macquarie University. Her research interests are in improving care delivery within the physiotherapy profession and preventing musculoskeletal pain. The main trial of her PhD was the NHMRC-funded WalkBack trial, which is examining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a physiotherapist-prescribed walking and education program for the prevention of low back pain recurrences.

Rachael specialises in research related to the political, social and health dimensions of product stewardship and the transition to a circular economy. In particular, Rachael is interested in how good design and policy can help create sustainable supply chains free from hazardous substances. She has extensive experience consulting to government, industry and the non-government sector to enable transitions across industries including: renewable energy, the built environment, personal and home care, food, clothing, packaging, textiles, and electronics. Rachael recently published a book “Life Indoors: How our homes are shaping our bodies and our planet”, which looks at how the micro-material composition (microbes, toxicants etc) of our built environment and products influences human health, and why this should be a focus of Decarbonisation and Circular Economy initiatives. https://www.amazon.com.au/Life-Indoors-shaping-bodies-planet/dp/9811651752 More information on Rachael’s projects and publications can be found at https://rwakefieldrann.com/

Sarah is a PhD Candidate at the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF). Her research examines the legal responses to technological innovation, with a focus on the emerging interdisciplinary confluence of quantum technologies, quantum mechanics, and the law. As part of this, Sarah works broadly across frontier science (including nanotechnology and quantum technologies) to explore the responsible development, application, and governance of rapidly evolving and complex techno-scientific innovations. She approaches these uncertain phenomena through the lens of social governance frameworks. Sarah has previously worked in the space of synthetic hazardous chemicals and nano-materials governance, collaborating with government and industry to better understand and manage the use of toxic substances in commercial supply chains.

I am a science communicator and am employed as an associate professor in Western Sydney University’s School of Science. I teach classes in water science and management, environmental planning and environmental regulation across several degree programs. Prior to WSU, I worked as a scientist in the urban water industry, mainly at Sydney Water. My science interests include freshwater ecology, water chemistry and water pollution (science and management). My research interests include urban water issues, contamination from concrete materials and impacts of mining on streams and rivers. I have provided independent expert testimonies for environmental science matters for the NSW Land & Environment Court, and also for mining development proposals being considered through the planning system. I’m an enthusiastic participant in art & science and community engagement activities associated with water and I often provide expert commentary on water issues in the media. I’m fortunate to visit primary and secondary schools, on behalf of the University, to talk to classes about water.