Meet Prof Lauren Ball, Chair of Community Health and Wellbeing at the University of Queensland, a research-focused role based in Springfield. Here she talks about her work, prioritising community input and identifying many ways researchers can have a competitive edge. Lauren is also a recent mentee in the AAHMS mentoring program (applications open now!) 

What is your current role and how did you get to be there?

I work at the University of Queensland as Chair of Community Health and Wellbeing.

As part of this role, I am Director of the Centre for Community Health and Wellbeing, where I lead approximately 20 researchers of diverse career stages in the conduct of projects that are purposefully positioned within the community of Springfield, in Queensland. 

My clinical experience as a dietitian and exercise physiologist allowed me to position myself for my role.

Drawing upon practical experiences in the clinic meant that I could use these to inform discussions with prospective investors, as well as relate to broader community and public health priorities.

Given we all eat and move our bodies, our projects can relate to people from all walks of life. 

Along the way, I have upskilled in areas where I felt it would give me a competitive edge. For example, I completed a short postgraduate program in health economics and policy, and also completed my Company Directors qualifications. For health economics, the additional training helped me to have conversations with economists about specific concepts in research. The Company Director training allowed me to take on board roles and focus my effort on organisations that have a positive impact on large groups of people.

Together, I hope these skills will set me up for future senior leadership roles in the university sector. 

How does your work contribute to the field? 

All of our work focuses on the health and wellbeing of the community. Our centre is purposefully positioned off campus, in the community; our office is on top of the local café. Here, we engage with community members literally every day (usually over coffee), and we prioritise community input over our own team’s views. In reality, this means that every project we undertake has come from a place of community need or preference, giving us the confidence that what we develop will have a positive impact. Two examples come to mind: 

• LinkMe: We heard from community members that navigating the health system is challenging. We’ve designed a navigation website and app where community members contribute to information about services (think GPs, yoga in the park, specialist services) with cost, availability, parking. Other community members can then view the information and use it to inform their health service navigation. 

• Springfield Healthy Hearts: Springfield is becoming known as an exemplar city for health. But community members previously hadn’t had a voice in shaping how their health is tracked over time. We are currently codesigning with community a longitudinal study that will track outcomes that local families report are of high value. Rather than studies relying on what researchers think is best, this puts the power in the hands of people who we strive to serve!  

What is a project you would love to get off the ground or a skill you would like to develop, if you had the opportunity? 

Using technology to its full potential is a challenge. I embed technology in my work to the greatest extent I can, but there’s always a new app or a new device that comes along and changes what is possible. I’d love to be across all technology before we launch a project, but we only know what we know.   

What are your loves outside of work?

I have family both in Australia and overseas that keep me busy outside of work! Couple that with podcasts, fitness and friends, I’m always doing something I love. My latest love is swimming – I experience so many physical and mental benefits from staring at that line on the bottom of the pool. 

What is one piece of advice you could pass onto others following their own career in health and medical research sector? 

Your passion and enthusiasm matter much more than your skillset. Bring your whole self to your work, and you will find purpose and meaning that exudes into your projects, teams and career.