Awards and Recognition 2025

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AAG recognised and awarded worthy and committed AAG members and Grant Awardees at the 2025 Annual General Meeting & AAG Research Trust Update. Congratulations to all worthy recipients of awards received for this year. Click on the dropdown arrow to see all the awardees for this year.
First NameLast NameDivisionDate AwardedAwardDescription
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DivyaAnantharamanQLD10/10/2025QLD Division Bursary to attend the AAG Conference1 of 2 bursaries ($750 each) to support the cost of conference registration for the 2025 AAG Conference in Alice SpringsQLDDIVBURSCONF
Auditi BridgetBiswasTAS9/10/2025TAS Division Bursary to attend the AAG Conference1 of 3 scholarships of $525 for AAG student members who are not receiving other funding to attend the 2025 AAG Conference whose abstracts have been acceptedTASDIVBURSCONF
AnnalieseBlairACT21/02/2025AAG Member Survey WinnerAAG Member Survey competition winner and recipient of a free registration to #AAGConf25 in Mparntwe, Alice SpringsAAGMEMSURV
RuthBrookmanNSW18/11/2025AAG NSW Division SECG Publication Award - Overall 1st PlaceRuth Brookman NSW 18/11/2025 AAG NSW Division SECG Publication Award-overall 1st Place The prize is for NSW student and early career members of the AAG to be awarded and recognized for a publication that addresses a priority area of aging through rigorous and impactful research (Awarded $ 200 Cash Prize). Publication: “Caring for people with dementia: Mapping the experience and journey from diagnosis”.NSWSECGPUB
RuthBrookmanNSW18/11/2025AAG NSW SECG Publication Award – Impact AwardThe prize is for NSW student and early career members of the AAG to be awarded and recognized for a publication that has had particularly outstanding impact in aging research and practice. (Awarded $ 100 Cash Prize). Publication: “Caring for people with dementia: Mapping the experience and journey from diagnosis”.NSWSECGPUB2
AmandaCrossVIC16/04/2025Helen Barrie National Prize for Student and Early Career Members AwardeeHelen Barrie National Prize for Student and Early Career Members AwardeeHelen Barrie National Prize Awardee
SallyDayNSW30/10/2025Hal Kendig Research Development ProgramTitle of project: Older people living alone with dementia: Exploring unmet needs, and barriers and facilitators to supportHal Kendig Research Development Program
AnoohyaGandhamVIC13/10/2025VIC Division SECG Rapid Fire AwardeeAs part of the AAG VIC SECG Division’s member-only webinar series for Victorian Student and Early Career members, the final session featured a Rapid Fire Presentation—a fast-paced showcase where presenters shared their research in just five minutes, followed by a short Q&A. The top presenter received a $50 voucher. Awarded for her presentation, “Gut Feeling: Feeding Bones Through the Microbiome.”VICSECGRAPID
DianeGibsonACT29/10/2025AAG Life Member AAGLIFE
RakizaHusseinVIC9/09/2025Vic Division Bursary to attend the AAG Conference1 of 2, $1,500 for Victorian Student and Early Career members that have had an abstract accepted as a presenting at the conferenceVICDIVBURSCONF
SamanKhalatbari-SoltaniNSW29/10/2025AAG Fellow AAG Fellow
SamanKhalatbari-SoltaniNSW30/10/2025Strategic Innovation AwardeeTowards a Consensus-Based Housing Condition Framework for Healthy Ageing in AustraliaStrategic Innovation Awardee
AbdeljalilLahiouelACT7/10/2025ACT Division Conference BursaryOne single award of $750ACT Division Conference Bursary
Cheng YenLooWA30/10/2025Hal Kendig Research Development ProgramTitle of project: Co-design through a cultural lens: Exploring health information access and falls prevention education among older Chinese Australian adultsHal Kendig Research Development Program
Cheng YenLooWA13/10/2025WA Division Bursary to attend the AAG Conference1 of two grants to Student and Early Career Members to support attendance to the 2025 conference in Alice Springs. One grant each up to the value of $1350WADIVBURSCONF
RhysMantellNSW18/11/2025AAG NSW SECG Publication Award – Runner UpThe prize is for NSW student and early career members of the AAG to be awarded and recognized for a publication that addresses a priority area of aging through rigorous and impactful research (Awarded $ 100 Cash Prize). Publication: “ A critical realist analysis of digital health screening for older people in prison”.NSWSECGPUB3
RhysMantellNSW2/10/2025RM Gibson in partnership with Dementia Aust Research Fund (DARF)Title of project: ASCAPE at the Margins: User evaluation of a game-based cognitive assessment for older marginalised AustraliansRM Gibson in partnership with Dementia Aust Research Fund
KellyMarriott-StathamNSW9/09/2025NSW Division Bursary to attend the AAG ConferenceThe AAG NSW Division bursary is provided in the form of subsidised AAG 2025 conference registration, plus accommodation, and travel costs for the remaining allocation ($1000).NSWDIVBURSCONF
CarolynMurraySA30/10/2025Strategic Innovation in partnership with The Dementia Aust Research Fund (DARF)Title of project: Regional health professionals’ attitudes toward social prescription of concurrent art and wellness programs for people with dementia and their caregiversStrategic Innovation in p/ship- Dementia Aust Research Fund
Nehchal KaurNarulaVIC17/04/2025Helen Barrie National Special Prize for research on Intergenerational PracticesAAG SECG Helen Barrie National Special Prize for research on intergenerational practicesHBNPSPECAIIP

We were also delighted to be able to present some of them at the Conference in Mparntwe Alice Springs

The award recipients, shown from left to right, are as follows:

  • AAG Research Trust Awardee - Caleb Rivers
  • AAG Research Trust Awardee - Dr Stephen Quick
  • AAG Research Trust Awardee -Dr Chen Yen Loo
  • AAG Research Trust Awardee - Dr Alice Pashly
  • Thank you to Lead of the AAG Research Trust Strategic Innovation Program - Prof Keith Hill

The 2025 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research focus awardee

The AAG Research Trust is committed to funding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led initiatives. Key to this goal is a separate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Review Panel to lead and support the selection of Indigenous-focused applications.

Caleb Rivers - PhD Student - University of Western Australia
Exploring older Aboriginal People's quality of life through the application of the Good Spirit, Good Life framework



Follow this link for more information about the AAG Research Trust Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Focus.

The 2025 Hal Kendig Research Development Program Awardees

Professor Hal Kendig was as a leader and a powerful influence in shaping a national and international discourse on ageing, as well as a great advocate for the needs of older people. This Program reflects Hal's many outstanding contributions as well as his wish to continue to support early career researchers in their pursuit of research excellence. The Program is made possible by Hal’s family making an extraordinarily generous donation of $730,000 to the AAG Research Trust for the Hal Kendig Research Development Program, following Hal’s passing in June 2018. For more information regarding the late Emeritus Professor Hal Kendig please click here.

Dr Sally Day, Early career researcher and occupational therapy lecturer, University of Sydney
Older people living alone with dementia: Exploring unmet needs, and barriers and facilitators to support.

Dr Cheng Yen Loo, Sociologist and cultural anthropologist at the WA Centre for Health & Ageing (WACHA), The University of Western Australia
Co-design through a cultural lens: Exploring health information access and falls prevention education among older Chinese Australian adults

Follow this link for more information about the Hal Kendig Research Development Program and past recipients.

The 2025 Strategic Innovation Program Awardees

The Strategic Innovation Program initiative was made possible by the generous bequest from the estate of William Peter Steele Nicolson in 2016/17.

Dr Saman Khalatbari-Soltani, Social Epidemiologist and Senior Lecturer at the Sydney School of Public Health and Prevention Research Collaboration, University of Sydney
Towards a Consensus-Based Housing Condition Framework for Healthy Ageing in Australia

Dr Alice Pashley, Postdoctoral Fellow, Accredited Practising Dietitian and health services researcher, University of Canberra
Enabling Meaningful Choice in Residential Aged Care Mealtimes: Toward Inclusive and Best-Practice Guidelines




The following additional Strategic Innovation Program grant was awarded through our valued partnership with the Dementia Australia Research Foundation (DARF):

Dr Carolyn Murray, Registered occupational therapist and senior lecturer in teaching and research, University of South Australia
Regional Health professionals attitudes towards social prescription of concurrent art and wellness programs for people with dementia and their caregivers

Follow this link for more information about the Strategic Innovation Program and past recipients.

The 2025 RM Gibson Program Awardees

The RM Gibson Program. The fund was set up to honour the memory of Dr Richard (Dick) Maxwell Gibson who played a foundation role in the development of gerontology within Australia. He made a significant contribution to the AAG, including serving as our National President and the inaugural Chairman of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics Asia Oceania Region. The Grant recipients are:

Minh Ngoc Pham, PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology.
Development of a Web-Based Problem-Solving Intervention for Older Carers

Dr Stephen Quick, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, La Trobe University and Northern Health
Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Virtual Emergency Care for People Living with Dementia: A Qualitative Study



Dr Johannes Schwabe, Senior Research Fellow for the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) Research Centre in Adelaide
Developing a prognostic risk-model (tool) for entry to residential aged care


The following additional RM Gibson Program grant was awarded through our valued partnership with the Dementia Australia Research Foundation (DARF):

Rhys Mantell, final-year PhD candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW
ASCAPE at the Margins: User evaluation of a game-based cognitive assessment for older marginalised Australians

 

Follow this link for more information about the RM Gibson Program and past recipients.

The 2025 Arthur Everitt Award recipient

Unfortunately, the intended recipient was unable to attend so there was no 2025 award.

 

Follow this link for more information about The Arthur Everitt Award.

AAG Life Members

Life Membership is one of the highest honours that the Australian Association of Gerontology can bestow on its members. Awards are made as necessary. Life Members have a long and distinguished record of service as a members and contribution to the Gerontology Community.


The 2025 Life Member Inductee:

Prof Diane Gibson (ACT)


Follow this link for more information about AAG Life Members and past inductees.

AAG Fellows

The AAG Fellowship award established in 1999 is intended to recognise high professional standing of members in any field of gerontology.

This year the Fellowship award goes to:

Dr Saman Khalatbari - Soltani (NSW) 

 

Follow this link for more information about AAG fellows and past recipients

AAG Distinguished Members

The AAG Distinguished Member award recognises members who have given outstanding service to AAG over many years, through serving on AAG State and Territory Divisional Committees and/or the AAG Board or previous equivalents, contributing to a range of activities to promote the achievement of AAG's purpose.

There were no nominations or awards in 2025. 

 

Follow this link for more information and past Distinguished Members.

AJA 2025 Book Awardee

Nova Weetman's memoir (2024)
Love, Death and Other Scenes.

 

 

 

 

 


Certificate in Recognition of Significant Contribution to Peer Reviewing

Dr Alison Yaxley, Flinders University