South Australian Physiotherapist Wins Tall Poppy Award
In August 2010, Dr. Saravana Kumar, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, University of South Australia, was the recipient of the South Australian Tall Poppy Award. These awards recognize outstanding researchers in the early stages of their careers who are already making discoveries and are passionate about communicating their work. This award was first created in 1998 by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) and aims to promote a more publicly engaged scientific leadership in Australia. He is the first physiotherapist and allied health professional in South Australia to win this prestigious award.
Upon accepting the award, Dr. Kumar commented that “ while it is important to generate new knowledge and research evidence, it is also equally important to ensure it is translated into clinical practice in a timely manner. Failure to do so can lead to poor quality, unsafe, costly, and harmful health care practices . Implementing evidence into practice is an emerging science, and as researchers and scientists, it is important we communicate our findings to the wider population.”
Dr. Kumar acknowledged the support of all the staff at the International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, and in particular it’s Director, Prof. Karen Grimmer-Somers. He states "I have been extremely blessed to have been mentored and supported by exceptional researchers at International Centre for Allied Health Evidence (iCAHE). At iCAHE, under the leadership of Prof. Karen Grimmer-Somers, I have been able to explore new thinking, and develop my skills, in evidence implementation across diverse areas. As evidence implementation is a new area of science, I have been given the freedom to generate new knowledge, test different hypotheses, and engage and collaborate widely."
Dr. Kumar also acknowledged the important contribution and support of the IJAHSP for his research specifically, and allied health research more broadly. He states that “Being a good researcher and educator means you also need to be a good communicator. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice is an ideal vehicle to disseminate research and communicate to a wide audience who can easily and freely access emerging research in a timely manner. I am thankful to the Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice and its Editors for their continued support for my research and making research accessible to the wider community.”
On behalf of the journal, we offer Dr. Kumar our congratulations and look forward to his continued contributions to allied health research and the IJAHSP.
For more information about Dr. Kumar’s research, please visit www.implementationcentral.com.
Recommended Citation
Nehrenz G. South Australian Physiotherapist Wins Tall Poppy Award. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2010 Oct 01;8(4), Article 14.
