Specialists in sleep medicine, eating disorders, tourism and coastal hydrogeology are among the recipients of Flinders University’s 2012 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Early Career Researchers.

The nine recipients of this year’s awards are:
Dr Lisa Beatty (School of Psychology);
Dr Ching Li Chai-Coetzer (School of Medicine);
Dr Luciana d’Arcangeli (School of Humanities);
Dr Sean Kim (School of Humanities);
Dr Chunhui Lu (National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training);
Dr Egon Perilli (School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics);
Dr Youhong Tang (School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics);
Dr Nicole Thomas (School of Psychology) and;
Dr Simon Wilksch (School of Psychology).

Each winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500 to enhance their research portfolio, as well as a certificate to be presented at an official awards ceremony on March 4.

Launched in 2009, the awards aim to recognise, reward and promote individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to University research since finishing their PhD.

Dr Beatty (pictured), who is studying the efficacy of an online cancer coping program, said she was honoured to receive the accolade.

“Even though you’re nominated you never expect to win,” Dr Beatty said.

“Some of my colleagues have missed out in previous years even though they were very deserving so I’m really pleased to be named alongside this year’s winners.”

Dr Beatty said the initiative was a worthwhile and valuable experience for early career researchers.

“It’s a fantastic way of encouraging those of us in the first few years since our PhDs to build up a standing in the research community and it gives us an opportunity that we may have not previously had.”