Registered nurse and La Trobe senior lecturer Dr Tara Williams explored how volunteering can reduce loneliness in rural communities, highlighting its role in building connection, purpose and wellbeing.
“Loneliness is more than just a feeling – it can have serious impacts on physical and mental health,” Dr Williams said. “When volunteering aligns with a person’s interests and motivations, it can significantly improve wellbeing.” Her research was recognised with the prestigious Nancy Millis Medal, awarded to doctoral research ranked in the top five per cent for impact.
Dr Susan O’Neill completed an industry PhD with Murray Primary Health Network, focusing on improving ear, nose and throat care in rural Australia. Her research identified hotspot regions for potentially preventable hospitalisations, helping better target services.
“Completing an industry PhD meant my research stayed closely connected to real community needs,” Dr O’Neill said. “The findings are already being used in health needs assessments and service planning, which is exactly the impact I hoped for.”
For Dr Sandy Connor, completing her PhD marks a significant milestone alongside years of leadership and teaching. Her research examined rural young men’s health through emergent masculinities, offering new insights into how young men experience masculinities in the rural context.
Looking ahead, Dr Connor is focused on strengthening research capacity in Mildura and supporting more higher degree research students to succeed.
“I’m excited to work alongside Higher Degree Research students in Mildura and support more local PhD candidates to commence and complete their studies,” she said. “Hands-on mentoring and strong supervision teams are key to building a sustainable research culture for our region.
