FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
NEW APPOINTMENT STRENGTHENS NHMRC’S PUBLIC HEALTH FOCUS
The NHMRC today announced the appointment of renowned public health expert Professor John
McCallum as Senior Scientist Public Health, heading up the Health Evidence and Advice Branch
Public health plays an increasingly important role in the NHMRC’s plans to improve Australia’s
health through research and this appointment reflects this strengthened priority.
The appointment follows on from recommendations in the “Review of Public Health Research
Funding in Australia”, chaired by Professor Don Nutbeam.
Professor McCallum is currently Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor at Victoria University and before
that was Executive Dean of Health at University of Western Sydney. He previously spent 12
years in the Research Schools at the Australian National University including in the development
of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health. Amongst many activities he has been
one of the directors of the Dubbo Longitudinal Study of the Health of the Elderly for over 20 years.
Professor McCallum received the Federation Medal in 2001 for 'services to ageing' and is a
Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia.
Professor McCallum has been extensively involved with the NHMRC serving two terms as a
member of the Australian Health Ethics Committee and one on the Health Advisory Committee
and has contributed actively to research grant assessment processes over many years.
Professor John McCallum will join the NHMRC from 1 February 2010.
Contact: Carolyn Norrie, NHMRC, 02 6217 9190 or 0422 008 512
NEWS 
