Public Health & Humanitarian Engineering

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Our work is underpinned by a commitment to enhancing the health of humans and their environments through world-leading engineering and health research.

This theme focuses on the nexus of how engineering and health can work towards sustainable development. It is concerned with fostering transformative change in systems, communities and environments.

UNSW Engineering researchers have decades of experience in engineering and public health activities in the Indo-Pacific region, including coastal protection in the Cook Islands, air quality monitoring in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, improving the nutritional status of children in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and improving tools for electricity access in PNG.

UNSW Medicine & Health is a major contributor to global development and health in the Indo-Pacific. It engages in world-class health and medical research, education and outreach. Its mission is to improve health in Australia and globally, with a particular focus on eliminating health disparities. Broadly speaking, iuts areas of focus for sustainable development are: health systems strengthening, non-communicable diseases, injury and environment, and infectious disease and COVID-19.

Notable Research Highlights and Facilities

Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policy

UNSW Medicine & Health is the lead academic institute for the APO, providing guidance on: the role of digital health, including telemedicine and peer-supported clinical decision-making; policy responses and planning for an ageing Pacific population; and health system governance and financing reform in Fiji.

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UNSW Energy Institute

The Energy Institute unites energy activities across UNSW with industry, government, community stakeholders and other research institutions. 

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Future Food Systems Cooperative Research Centre

Future Food Systems Cooperative Research Centre partners leading Australian universities with industry and government bodies to deliver impactful research in the future food systems domain.

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The George Institute for Global Health

The George Institute is a leading independent global medical research institute with major centres in Australia, China, India and the UK, and an international network of experts and collaborators.

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Global Water Institute

Drawing together experts from law, engineering, science, the arts, and social sciences, the Global Water Institute works with communities to design and implement unique and sustainable solutions to improve water quality and access, improving people's health and limiting their exposure to debilitating disease.

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The Kirby Institute

The Kirby Institute is a world-leading health research institute at UNSW Sydney. It works to eliminate infectious diseases, globally. The Institute's specialisation is in developing health solutions for the most at-risk communities and working to build a safer, healthier world for everyone. 

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UNSW RNA Institute

UNSW is leading cutting-edge RNA science and medicine via the newly established UNSW RNA Institute. The Institute links and expands multidisciplinary teams in RNA biology, RNA chemistry and RNA medicine, with clinical experts and services, underpinned by a pilot-scale RNA accelerator facility.  

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Tyree Foundation Institute of Health Engineering

Tyree IHealthE harnesses the considerable capabilities of UNSW Engineering and UNSW Medicine & Health. Powered by collaboration, Tyree IHealthE is an engine of discovery and research translation. 

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Water Research Centre

The WRC is an international leading university centre that provides multidisciplinary research in water resources, engineering, management and the development of tools for environmental management and sustainability for improving aquatic and atmospheric environments.

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WHO Collaborating Centre on Injury Prevention and Trauma Care

UNSW Medicine & Health worked with The George Institute in the establishment of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Injury Prevention and Trauma Care, generating and implementing evidence-based interventions for universal injury prevention. 

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Rapid Urbanisation & Population Health (RUPH) Network

Led by Associate Professor Xiaoqi Feng, the research network aims to build new capacities for consequential and policy-relevant research by generating knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities, as well as connecting early and mid-career researchers to senior academic mentors and established multi-institutional research entities.
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