As an Aboriginal woman from North-Western N.S.W, I have lived in rural and remote communities and I am very aware of issues in contemporary society that impact Indigenous communities including education, health, housing, legal and employment levels of disadvantage. I believe education is an important step towards addressing disproportionately high levels of social disadvantage and feel very strongly about being a part of an academic environment that also holds this as a fundamental goal. I have been an educator in Indigenous history, culture health and practice for 13 years and this is evidenced in the community engagement/ service and scholarly output as follows;
- Suicide Prevention Referrals Pathways Project Steering Committee- QAIHC
- Chair of Carbal Aboriginal Medical Services (11 Years)
- SPH Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group Meeting
- The Better Together Initiative committee
- UQ rep for Better Together Initiative: Metro North Hospital and Health Service
- DDHHS: Board Member
I have assisted in the development of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Queensland and Rural Clinical School; and Carbal and Goondir Aboriginal Medical Services and I have contributed to an increase in medical student placements and research opportunities. A further MOU is about to be signed with ‘Murri Medical’, Aboriginal Health Services to align with Carbal and Goondir.
A leading researcher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, Professor Toombs is a proud Euralayie/Kooma woman from North-Western NSW, and a distinguished researcher with a depth of experience in leadership roles. Working across research, health and education, Professor Toombs has a track record of impactful work, improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Professor Toombs is highly recognised for her work,...view more
A leading researcher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, Professor Toombs is a proud Euralayie/Kooma woman from North-Western NSW, and a distinguished researcher with a depth of experience in leadership roles. Working across research, health and education, Professor Toombs has a track record of impactful work, improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Professor Toombs is highly recognised for her work, and in 2023 she was awarded the prestigious Australian Mental Health Prize. As a leader in the field of Indigenous health, Professor Toombs was invited to join a 2023 Australian Mission delegation to the United Nations, in New York.
Partnering locally and internationally, Professor Toombs’s expertise in codesign and culturally safe practices is foundational to her global impact. She has developed models of care with over 94 different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
As a former Churchill Fellowship recipient, Professor Toombs worked with Canadian universities on retention rates for Indigenous students, and has developed partnerships with First Nations peoples across Canada. Her research on social and emotional well-being of Indigenous students has also led to significant improvements in the completion rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students.
In collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine & Health’s Aboriginal Sovereign Strategy Group, Professor Toombs will establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing Unit, that will have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, research and community at the forefront to ensure UNSW Medicine and Health create a culturally safe environment.
Ms Bhavna Singh serves as the Executive Assistant to Professor Toombs. You can reach her via email at bhavna.singh@unsw.edu.au or by phone at +61 2 9348 1740.
My Grants
- Investigator Grant: Transforming Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health through New Knowledge and Co-designed Healings: (2022)
- Ideas Grant (CIA) (2021) - Advancing equitable and non-discriminatory access to health services for First Nations peoples: A multidisciplinary Queensland Human Rights Act case study.
- NHMRC CTCS Funding CIC (2023). $4.6 Million
- MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission Streams (CIB) (2022) $3.5 Million
- Synergy Grant:(CIE) 2021 Respecting the Gift: Empowering Indigenous Communities in Genomic Medicine: Lung cancer screening for early detection $2.8 Million
- Target Call NHMRC (2020)- Nurturing the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers through a vibrant network (NEXGEN-NETWORK. $10 Million
My Qualifications
- Bachelor of Education, University of Southern Queensland (1997)
- Grad Cert Tertiary Teaching and Learning, University of Southern Queensland (2005)
- Masters of Health, University of Southern Queensland (2007, articulated into PhD)
- PhD - Faculty of Science, University of Southern Queensland (2011)
- Trained Crossing Cultures Facilitator
- I-ASIST Suicide Intervention Trainer/Facilitator
- Medium Rigid Truck Licence
My Awards
- Australian Mental Health Prize: 2023
- 10 of the Best: NHMRC Projects: 2023
- 2021 Suicide Prevention Australia Queensland award for, ‘Priority population’
- 2015 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, The University of Southern Queensland
- 2015 Indigenous Alumnus Service Award of the Year, The University of Southern Queensland
- 2014 - Shortlisted: Indigenous Australians and Health: The Wombat in the Room’, has been shortlisted for an Educational Publishing Award in the category of Tertiary (Wholly Australian): Student Resource
- 2011 - Churchill Fellowship - The Monash University Churchill Fellowship. 'Will the development of resilience and self-esteem training program increase retention rates of Aboriginal students at university?’
My Research Activities
Research support:
- $6.3 Million in personal research funding and a further $24.7 Million working with other teams nationally and internationally (Total of $30 Million).
National Contributions:
- Australian Medical Council accreditation team member (July 2023)- College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)
- Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus (PCIC) of NHMRC- 2021-24 triennium
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Measurement Consortium: AIHW-2021-2023
- Australian Pharmacy Committee- 2020-2023
- National Indigenous Deans and Associate Deans Network Committee (2020-Current)
- First Nations and Health Board Members' Advisory Group meeting (2020-Current)
International Contributions:
- Australian Mission to the United Nations (AFP), New York, 15th -18th May 2023.
- Lenape Nations Cultural Centre, Manhattan, New York.
- International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) World Congress committee on 21-24 September 2021
- Global Alliance for Chronic Disease: Mental Health
- Living Works: Suicide Intervention and Prevention (Canada)
- Clinical Practice Guideline: Thoracic Society Australia and New Zealand leaders in Lung Health: Chronic suppurative lung disease and Bronchiectasis in Children and Adults in Australia and New Zealand.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7481-167X