Associate Professor Marlene Drysdale
Head—Indigenous Health
Telephone: +61 3 5128 1001
Facsimile: +61 3 5128 1080
Email: Marlene.Drysdale@monash.edu
In my current position as Head of the Indigenous Health Unit my responsibilities are the management and development of the Unit, including recruitment of Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Indigenous students, research, lecturing and curriculum development.
For fifteen years prior I was a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies at Monash University. Previous to Monash University I worked as an Aboriginal Home-School Liaison Officer and a Curriculum Development Officer with the State Education Department, Hobart. Having held positions in the Australian Legal Aid Office and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre my career has been devoted to working for Aboriginal people.
Concerning supervision activities with students, my approach has been to encourage them on a learning path in Indigenous health, education and culture. My primary focus is developing an individual’s competencies by supporting them with the information and opportunities to continually improve.
I am actively involved in a number of committees and professional associations. I have a commitment to my community and am involved in a number of organisations.
Academic Qualifications
2002 - current: Deakin University, Doctor of Communication. “Reconciliation in Australia: a study of communication strategies and symbolism
1998 Master of Education (Aboriginal Education), University of New England
1996 Post Graduate Diploma Indonesian (History and Language), Monash University
1989 Bachelor of Arts (Politics and Public Administration), University of Tasmania
1988 Bachelor of Arts (Aboriginal Studies), University of South Australia
Previous Employment
1976 – 1978
Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre
Hobart, Tasmania
1978 – 1979
Australian Legal Aid Office
Hobart, Tasmania
1979 – 1988
State Education Department
Hobart, Tasmania
1988 - Present
Monash University
Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies
Monash University Department of Rural and Indigenous Health
Gippsland, Victoria
Academic and Professional Associations
- Chair, Indigenous Health Committee
- Member, Equity and Access Committee for Medicine, Clayton
- Board Member, GetGP Gippsland Board, Churchill
- Member, Indigenous Staff Network, UDRH
- Member, National Research Centre for the Prevention of Child Abuse Advisory Committee (NRCPC), Clayton
- Board Member, Rowan Nicks, Russel Drysdale Indigenous Medical Scholarship Committee, University of Sydney, NSW.
- Member, Monash University Department of Rural and Indigenous Health Committee
- Member, Monash University School of Rural Health Executive Committee
- Member, Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand Project Steering Committee
- Member, University of Melbourne Indigenous Health Curriculum Review Team.
- Member of the Multidisciplinary Education for Rural Health Practitioners (MERPH) Committee
Community Affiliations
- Director, Morwell Aboriginal Co-operative. 1989–Current
- Member, Rostrum Public Speaking Club. 1989–Current
- Have held the positions of Secretary, Treasurer and President. I have also won several competitions and was State runner-up in the Joe Davis Cup
- Member, Morwell Aboriginal Co-Operative. 1989–Current
- Member, Mirimbiak Native Title Unit. 1996–Current
- Member, National Indigenous Women’s Group. 1994 - Current
- Member, Gippsland Domestic Violence Committee. 2000 - Current
- Secretary, Churchill Tennis Club. 1997 – 2000
- Member, Traralgon Tennis Club
- Member of National Tertiary Education Union. 1989 - Current
International Affiliations
Norton University is a private University located in Phnom Phen , Cambodia. The University has 2 campuses and is currently building a new university in the north of Phnom Phen City. Norton University invited me to conduct a scoping exercise of the viability of developing primary health care as a unit in their proposed Open University program.
Professional Development
- Staff Selection Training 2000
- Medial Student Interview training 2003
- Professional Writing 2004
- Equal Opportunity workshop 2007
- Endnote Training 2007
Research Activities
Research interests
Doctoral thesis titled “Reconciliation in Australia: a study of communication strategies and symbolism’. This thesis will focus on the process of reconciliation within Australia. This will include a search of all documents that have a direct impact on the development of the reconciliation process and the role and voice of Indigenous women in this process. Research will be conducted with Indigenous women who were involved in Reconciliation to measure the effectiveness of the process and to follow its progress.
Research projects:
I have undertaken a range of research and consulting assignments that have both drawn on and contributed to my extensive interests, knowledge and expertise surrounding Indigenous health and culture.
In 2005-2007 I was project manager for the “Footprints forwards: strategies for the recruitment, retention and support of Indigenous Medical students. This project was a collaboration between three Universities; University of New South Wales, James Cook University and Monash University being the fundholder. This involved several components of research and provided a detailed report to the funding body RUSC. We were successful in gaining funding to disseminate the project which is currently in progress.
In 2003 and 2004, I played a key role in a consulting project undertaken by the School of Rural Health for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing pertaining to the Rural Chronic Disease Initiative. My role was the provision of advice on cultural and community understandings, to consult with health services and communities undertaking RCDI projects and contributions to policy recommendations.
Another recent consulting assignment I was involved with was the Actin’ it Out Project for GP training. This project was funded by General Practice Education and Training. This was an innovative approach to teaching and learning. The project used Indigenous actors to develop scenarios to teach GPs about a wide range of Indigenous health and cultural issues. I worked with Illbijerri Indigenous Theatre to develop themes that communicated issues across cultural boundaries. Apart from the involvement of the Indigenous Unit within the Monash University School of Rural Health the consortium comprised the VACCHO and VicHealth Koorie Health Research and the Community Development Unit, The University of Melbourne.
During 2002 and 2003 my unit and I were involved with the Koorie Health and Wellbeing project. This was undertaken through the KODE (Koorie Open Door Education) School. Other partners in this project were the Latrobe Community Health Service, Central Gippsland Aboriginal Health and Housing Co-operative and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (VACCHO).
Supervision Activities
1991 M. Drysdale & A. Veno Munich University Student interested in Koorie Studies developed a project on Video and Audio as part of a Visual Arts degree (one year in Koorie Studies)
1992 M. Drysdale & A. Veno, Munich University Student research project into Indigenous communities, Arts/Business degree
1995 Co-supervisor with A. Veno of three post graduate students working on research in the Koorie Community, One Masters and two fourth year honours level students
1998 M. Drysdale “Anti-Smoking Campaigns in the Aboriginal Communities” Third Year Monash Medical Students
2001/2002, co-supervision with Dr Terri Sneddon on the Education Doctorate “Walking the Shared path: Change management issues for indigenous education”
Thesis Marking
- Manuscript Review “Aboriginal Pedagogy and lists of Cultural Differences”, Jacaranda Wiley, QLD
- 1997 Honours Thesis (1) Southern Cross University N.S.W.
- 1998 Honours Thesis (1 Monash University, CAIS
- 1998 Honours Thesis (1) Monash University. CAIS
- 1999 Honours Thesis (2) Monash University, CAIS
- 2000 Honours Thesis (1) Monash University, CAIS
- 2001 Honours Thesis (1) Monash University, CAIS
- 2006 PhD Thesis (1) University of Otago, New Zealand
- 2006 Honours Thesis (1) University of South Australia
Awards
- 2000/2001 Certificate of Appreciation for efforts with students with disabilities (nominated by students) – MUACDP, Gippsland
- 2001 NTEU Excellence in Management—Inaugural award
- 2005 Vice-Chancellor’s Equity and Diversity Award
Funding
| Year | Funding | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Monash Innovation fund | $ 3,000.00 |
| 1993 | Junior University program | $ 9,600.00 |
| 1994 | Junior University program | $ 10,619.00 |
| 1994 | Monash small grants | $ 5,000.00 |
| 1995 | Junior University program | $ 12,659.00 |
| 1996 | Junior University program | $ 10,198.00 |
| 1996 | Away from base excursion | $ 4,660.00 |
| 1997 | Junior University program | $ 9,644.00 |
| 1998 | Junior University program | $ 9,989.00 |
| 1999 | Junior University program | $ 10,000.00 |
| 2000 | Junior University program | $ 9,248.00 |
| 2000 | Victorian Koorie Leadership projects—Vic Health 1. Evaluation of Koorie leadership 2. Imaging of Koorie leadership & Achievements |
$ 283,000.00 |
| 2001 | Insight publications | $ 1,500.00 |
| 2001 | Small ARC Grant | $ 6,000.00 |
| 2002 | Small ARC grant | $ 9,425.00 |
| 2003/04 | Rural Chronic Disease Initiative (RCDI) | $ 400,000.00 |
| 2005–2007 | Australian Childhood Foundation | $ 217,000.00 (x 3 years) |
| 2005/06 | Footprints Forward project | $ 317,000.00 |
| 2006 | Footprints Forward project dissemination | $ 339,197.00 |
Publications
Kelly, H., Robinson, A., Drysdale, M., Chesters, J. Faulkner, S., Ellender, I., Turnbull, L., (2009)."It's Not About Me, It's About the Community": Culturally Relevant Health Career Promotion for Indigenous Students in Australia." The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 38: 19-26.
Chesters, J., Drysdale, M., Ellender, I., Faulkner, S., Turnbull, L., Kelly, H., Robinson, A., Chambers, H., (2009). "Footprints forwards blocked by a Failures Discourse: Issues in Providing Advice about Medicine and Other Health Science Careers to Indigenous Secondary School Students." Australian Journal of Career Development 18(1): 26-35.
Coffin, J., Drysdale, M., Hermeston, W., Sherwood, J., Edwards, T (2008) Ways Forward in Indigenous Health, A Textbook of Australian Rural Health, pg 141-152
Ellender, I., Drysdale, M. (2008)How Much Is Enuff Rope?, Improving Student Retention in Higher Education, pg 38-42
Drysdale, M., Chesters, J., Faulkner,. Et.el (2006) Footpriints Forwards: Better Strategies for the Recruitment, Retention and Support for Indigenous Medical Students. RUSC , Canberra.
Wyatt, D., Whyte., Faulkner, S., Chesters., Drysdale, M., Kirkbright, S., Clough, R., Carr, H., Whyte, G., (2006) Building Healthy Communities: The Rural Chronic Disease Initiative. Vol. 12., Number 2., August., Australian Journal of Primary Health Care.
Robinson, A., Burley, M., McGrail, M., Drysdale,M., Jones,R., Rickards, C. (2005) ‘The conducting and reporting of rural health research: rurality and rural population issues. Rural and Remote Health (in press)
McGrail, M.,Jones, R., Robinson, A., Rickards, C., Burley, M., Drysdale,M., (2005) ‘The planning of rural health research: rurality and rural population issues. Rural and Remote Health (in press)
Drysdale, M., (2005) The Value of Nurses in Indigenous Communities: providing healthcare in a different cultural setting; Journal of Indigenous Issues, Volume 8, Number 1, pg 3-11
Wyatt, D., Drysdale, M., et el (2004) “Rural Chronic Disease Initiative” Write up of learnings. Final report. Monash University School of Rural Health
Wyatt, D., Drysdale, M., et el (2004) “Building Healthy Communities” A resource for the Australian Government; Department of Health and Ageing. Monash University.
Jenvey, V, Windisch, L and Drysdale, M., (2003), “Indigenous parents’ ratings of the importance of play, Indigenous games and language, and early childhood education”, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp 50-56
Drysdale, M. (2002), “Reconciliation: A Comparative Study of the Processes Adopted in South Africa, Canada and Australia”, API 2002 publication
Drysdale, M. (2002), “Reconciliation: The Canadian, South African and Australian Experience, Australiemag, Paris, France.
Drysdale, M. and Beardwood, R (2001), “Stolen”, Insight Publications, Melbourne.
Drysdale, M. (2001), “So You Want to Know Why I don’t Like School?” Indigenous student participation and retention in our school system. Victorian, Psychology, Melbourne, Victoria.
Drysdale, M and Beardwood, R (2000), “Going Home”, Insight Publications, Melbourne.
Drysdale, M. (1996) “Indigenous Australia: Developing Flexible Programs That Nurture Old Knowledge in a New Environment”, 4th World National Open Learning Conference Proceedings. Payame Noor University, Teheran Iran, pp. 105-109.
Drysdale, M., Veno, A. & Berends, L. (1996) “Effective Coping in Aboriginal Communities of Australia” in Thomas, D. and Veno, A (eds.) Community Psychology in Australia and New Zealand, Dunmore Press: Auckland.
Drysdale, M. (1996) “Community Research: The issue of Intellectual Property” Ethics and Intellectual Property Conference Proceedings, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland.
Drysdale, M. & Veno, A. (1995) “Coping in the Gunai/Kurnai Communities of Gippsland”, Monash University Press, Churchill.
Drysdale, M. & Ellender, I. (1995) “Who Owns the Knowledge: Dilemmas and Directions in the Development of Koorie Curriculum” in Research into Higher Education : Dilemmas, Directions and Diversions Conference Proceedings. pp 39-48.
Drysdale, M. & Parer, M. (1995) “Aboriginal Australia: Dirt Floors to Degrees” in ICDE Conference Proceedings, Birmingham U.K. Vol.1, pp. 257-262.
Drysdale, M.(1995) “Once Upon a Time 40,000 Years Ago” in Women at the Well Conference Proceedings, Melbourne. pp 29- 34.
Drysdale, M. (1995) “Alice Thorpe” In Heritage, The National Women’s Artbook, G & B Arts International Ltd. p 463
Drysdale, M. (1995) “Flexible Learning for Life: Serving Indigenous People” Flexible Learning for Life Conference Proceedings. University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Drysdale, M. (1993) “Aboriginal Higher Education and Women”, in of the Indigenous Women’s Conference proceedings Melbourne, pp 67-69.
Drysdale, M. (1993) “Nginauwa”, in Arts Gippsland Edition 12, pp. 4-5.
Drysdale, M. (1993) “Survival of a Culture: Alice Thorpe and her Basket”, Gippsland Heritage Journal no.15 pp.50-51.
Drysdale, M. (1992) “Aboriginal People and Education”. In Research and Development in Higher Education : Academia Under Pressure Theory and practice for the 21st Century pp. 1-15.
Drysdale, M. (1992) “Mabo - Native Title and Reconciliation”, in Victorian Psychology Conference Proceedings, Victoria . pp 34-39.
Conference papers
Drysdale, M “Footprints Forward: Better strategies for the recruitment rentention and support of Indigenous medical students”, NRHA Conference, Albury 2007
Drysdale, M. & Dennis Sharon, Cultural Awareness/Cultural Safety Training for Nurses, AARN Conference, Melbourne 2005
Drysdale, M & Ellender , I Iga Warta Challenges Nursing and Medical Students. AARN Conference, Melbourne 2005
Drysdale, M. “Managing Chronic Illness: Communities Taking Control”, GetGP Frontiers Conference, Brisbane 2004.
Drysdale, M. Culture in Medical Schools: Individual and Institutional Growth, The LIME Connection, Fremantle, June8-10
Drysdale, M. “Reconciliation: A study of Canada, South Africa and Australia”, Travelling Conference, Lecce, Italy 2001
Drysdale, M. “The Value of Nurses in Indigenous Communities”, AARN Conference, Melbourne, 2002.
Drysdale, M. “Health Issues for Indigenous Australians”, WONCA World Conference, Melbourne, Australia. 2002.
Drysdale, M. “Indigenous Australian Health Issues in Comparison with Canada, New Zealand and United States Indigenous Populations” Matthew Campbell Lecture, Monash University, Clayton. 2002.
Drysdale, M. “Aboriginal People and Education”. Keynote Address, presented to HERDSA Conference, Gippsland, Australia: 7-10 July 1992.
Drysdale, M. “Mabo - Native Title and Reconciliation”, Victorian Psychology, Melbourne, Victoria. 1992.
Drysdale, M. “Native Title - What does it Mean?” Rotary Annual Dinner, Sale 1992.
Drysdale, M. “Aboriginal Higher Education and Women”. Indigenous Women’s Conference, Melbourne. October 1993.
Drysdale, M.. & Veno, A. “The Psychology of Oppression and Empowerment”, Presented to IVth International Congress of Psychology, Sydney, Australia: August 31st, and Sept. 3rd. 1993.
Drysdale, M. & Veno, A. “Thriving in Desperate Times: a study of effective coping in the Gunai Communities of Gippsland”. Presented to the Australian Psychology Society’s Annual Conference, Gold Coast, 1993.
Drysdale, M. & Ellender, I. “Who owns the knowledge: Dilemmas and Directions in the development of Koorie curriculum”. Presented HERARU Conference, Phillip Island, November, 1994.
Drysdale, M. & Veno, A. “A comparison between imprisoned verses Community dwelling Victoria Aboriginal people living on Gunai communities of Gippsland”, Paper presented to the Psychological Society’s Annual Conference, Wollongong, N.S.W. 1994.
Drysdale, M. & Parer, M. “Aboriginal Australia: Dirt Floors to Degrees” presented to ICDE Conference, Birmingham UK, June 1995.
Drysdale, M. “Once Upon a Time 40,000 Years Ago” presented at Women at the Well Conference, Melbourne, February 1995.
Drysdale, M. “Flexible Learning for Life: Serving Indigenous People”, Flexible Learning for Life Conference, University of Auckland, New Zealand, 1995.
Drysdale, M. “Land Rights, Native Title: The Australian Experience” Auckland Institute of Technology, New Zealand 1995.
Drysdale, M. Indigenous Australia: “Developing Flexible Programs That Nurture Old Knowledge in a New Environment” Payame Noor University, Teheran Iran 1996.
Drysdale, M. “Australian Aboriginal Women – Our culture and Our Society” Dubai Women’s College, United Arab Emerites, 1996.
Drysdale, M. “Community Research: The issue of Intellectual Property” Ethics and Intellectual Property Conference, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland. 1996.
Drysdale, M. “Reconciliation: A study of Canada, South Africa and Australia”. API Travelling Conference, Lecce, Italy 2001
Drysdale, M. “The Value of Nurses in Indigenous Communities” AARN Conference, Melbourne, 2002.
Drysdale, M. “Health Issues for Indigenous Australians” WONCA World Conference Melbourne, Australia. 2002.
Drysdale, M. “Indigenous Australian Health Issues in Comparison with Canada, New Zealand and United States Indigenous Populations” Matthew Campbell lecture, Monash University, Clayton. 2002.
Drysdale, M. “Managing Chronic Illness: Communities Taking Control” GetGp Frontiers Conference, Brisbane 2004.
Drysdale, M. Culture in Medical Schools: Individual and Institutional Growth, The Lime Connection, Fremantle, 2005.
Book Reviews
“Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith” by Thomas Keneally
“Meanderings” by Sam Watson
Artistic
Drysdale, M. & Hurrell, J. (1994) “Women of the Earth”. Collection of large clay pots and coolamons exhibited at Switchback Gallery, Monash University, Gippsland Campus. The exhibition was funded by The Sidney Myer Fund and purchased by Koorie Heritage Trust
Drysdale, M. & Community (1997) “Reconciliation and Education”. Large mural (30’ x 30’), which is a central feature on the Koorie Studies wall at Gippsland Campus.
*Drysdale, M. & Romano, N. (1999) “Cure not Care – Dreaming of Walking”
*Drysdale, M. & Romano, N. (2000) “Let the Spirit of the Earth Heal the Soul”
*Drysdale, M. & Romano, N. (2001) “Retracing our Footsteps”
*Drysdale, M. & Romano, N. (2002) “Let’s Connect Body, Mind & Spirit ”
*These posters were designed for the Spinal Cord Association of Australia and distributed worldwide.
