Keynote Speakers
Professor Kerryn Phelps
Professor
Kerryn Phelps is Adjunct Professor at The University of Sydney
in the Faculty of Medicine in the Schools of Public Health and
General Practice.
Professor Kerryn Phelps has been a familiar face to many Australians over the last twenty five years during which time she has appeared regularly on television, radio and the print media informing the Australian public on health issues. She is extremely involved in Integrative health and is on the Advisory Board of the Australian Integrative Medicine Association. Aside from practising as a General Practitioner in Sydney, Professor Phelps also lectures at The University of Sydney, is a Consultant to various Corporations and Associations and sits on several boards. She has recently established a state of the art multi disciplinary health clinic in Sydney’s Surry Hills called the Uclinic.
In May 2000, after a year in the position of President of the AMA in NSW, Prof Phelps was elected Federal President of the Australian Medical Association, becoming the first woman to head this organisation and serving a maximum term of three years. During her time as AMA President she worked with Federal and State governments to find a resolution to the Medical Indemnity crisis that was threatening the medical profession and was instrumental in changing the government’s approach to the Australian medical workforce.
She is currently the health writer for the Australian Women’s Weekly and writes political commentary for Medical Observer Magazine. She is a regular commentator on general practice, public health, medical politics and human rights issues.
In 2003 she was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to Health and Medicine.
Associate Professor David Dunstan
Associate
Professor Dunstan is the Manager of Physical Activity Research
at the International Diabetes Institute, Melbourne Australia.
He is a leading researcher on the role of physical activity
in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.
In 1999 his contribution to this field of research was acknowledged with the award of an NHMRC Public Health Post-Doctoral Fellowship to study the efficacy and feasibility of resistance exercise for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the 10 years following his PhD award his physical activity research work has attracted considerable external funding from the NHMRC, VicHealth and the National Heart Foundation. In 2006 he was awarded a VicHealth Public Health Fellowship to further consolidate his physical activity research program into the role of sedentary behaviour.
Another significant achievement has been his involvement as a co-investigator and the National Project Manager on the landmark diabetes prevalence study (Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study – AusDiab) from 1997-2000 involving 11,247 participants. This study is the largest national diabetes prevalence study undertaken in a developed country to have used an oral glucose tolerance test. In addition to having the responsibility for the planning and day to day management of this large project, A/Prof Dunstan led and coordinated a collaboration consisting of key researchers in the field of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and health to analyse the lifestyle data collected from this study. In 2007, he was awarded a prestigious young Tall Poppy Science award (Victoria) from the Australian Institute of Policy and Science which recognizes the achievements of Australia’s outstanding young scientific researchers.
