Conversations Across the Creek has been running for several years to provide a space for continuing dialogue among ANU scientists, social scientists, and humanities scholars. It recognises that despite the physical separation of the sciences from the humanities on our campus (separated by Sullivan’s Creek), shared intellectual spaces and communities of practice continue to grow apace, and with great results.

In 2022, the series is convened by Kylie Message (HRC), Anna-Sophie Jurgens (Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science), Elisa de Courcy (Centre for Art History and Art Theory), Alison Behie (School of Archaeology and Anthropology), and Ruth Morgan (Centre for Environmental History).

August 2022 Conversations Across the Creek:

Increasing understandings of maternal health threats through cross-disciplinary research

Given the Royal Commission on the 2019/2020 bushfires identified pregnant women and their unborn children as a high-risk group, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts an increase in extreme climate events in Australia in coming years, research on maternal health is more critical now than ever. This seminar will explore current research being done at ANU in both HASS and STEM disciplines by focusing on current threats to maternal health and ways to safeguard mothers and children against these threats.

Each speaker will represent a different discipline and will discuss from their own research on an aspect of maternal health. At the end of the seminar we will have a moderated Q&A to better delve into the benefits of cross-discipline research to improve maternal health studies in Australia and beyond.

Speakers:

Cynthia Parayiwa (PhD student, School of Archaeology and Anthropology), Dr Mike Roettger, School of Demography), Dr Amita Bansal (JCSMR). Chair: Dr Alison Behie (School of Archaeology and Anthropology).