Occupational health and safety (OHS) professional body, the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA), will host a Three Minute Thesis Competition as part of the Safety In Action conference in Melbourne.
Researchers must present a compelling three-minute speech in plain English explaining the value and potential impact of their studies, the conference organisers say.
Researchers will also gather at the conference to launch the SIA Education Chapter Academy of OHS University OHS Education and Research.
The first meeting of the Academy will provide a focus for OHS research in Australia, which SIA Education Chapter secretary Pam Pryor says is currently extremely limited.
“OHS education and OHS research is at a crossroads with threats from various sources but also great opportunities,” Pryor says.
“Part of the threat derives from a lack of agreed strategy and direction for OHS research and little promotion and publicity for the research that is conducted, and therefore a low level application of what is learnt from the OHS research, thus inhibiting improvement in workplace safety and health.”
Pryor expects the conference to produce a discussion paper describing the current state of OHS research in Australia and containing recommendations to enhance research output and quality.
The meeting will also develop a policy for the SIA Academy of University OHS Education and Research that “sets a viable and sustainable basis” for OHS research over the next decade.
The Safety Institute of Australia will hold the Safety in Action Conference in partnership with WorkSafe Victoria, concurrently with the Safety In Action trade show from April 20 to 22 at the Melbourne Convention Centre. The conference is run by Australian Exhibitions & Conferences CompanyName,4823 Pty Ltd.