Sandra Eades

Eades worked in the public hospital system after graduating from medical school, and was a general practitioner with the Aboriginal Medical Service for seven years.^[2] She began her career researching the epidemiology of Indigenous child health in Australia at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.^[1] Her first research opportunity into causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in Aboriginal infants in Western Australia, was introduced to her by 2003 Australian of the Year, Fiona Stanley.^[2] She has been recognised for "identifying links between social factors such as housing and infant health".^[4]

As Head of Indigenous Maternal and Child Health, and Associate Head of Preventative Health Research at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute,^[1] Eades won a number of grants for research in Indigenous health studies.^[5] She was senior research fellow at The Sax Institute in Sydney from 2004 to 2008,^[2][6] and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney from 2012 to 2013.^[7] Moving to Melbourne in mid-2008 she joined the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and in 2018 she became Associate Dean Indigenous at the University of Melbourne.^[8]

Eades was appointed Dean of the Curtin Medical School in March 2020.^[9]

Eades's work in pediatric and perinatal epidemiology has improved the lives of Aboriginal women and children.^[4]

• 2005: Deadly award for Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, which she dedicated to her three-year-old child.^[10]
• 2006: NSW Woman of the Year.^[2] Nominated by Frank Sartor, the Minister for Science and Medical Research.^[4]
• 2014: Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS).^[11]
• 2015: Inaugural winner, Lowitja Institute Cranlana Award^[12]
• 2020: Elected Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (FASSA).^[8]
• 2022: Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to medical research, to Indigenous health, and to professional organisations"^[13]
• 2023: Elected Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE).^[14]