Congratulations to Associate Professor Shalini Arunogiri, who has won a 2023 Victorian Young Tall Poppy Science Award!
The prestigious Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) to honour up-and-coming scientists who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science.
This focus on world-class research and commitment to communication is at the forefront of Shalini’s work, where she is passionate about community engagement, combating stigma about substance use, and raising awareness that addiction is treatable.
Addiction is the most stigmatised health disorder globally, with an estimated $80 billion annual burden in Australia, and Shalini’s work shows long-term potential in improving the outcomes of all Australians who are affected by the harms caused by addition.
As Clinical Director at Turning Point and the Hamilton Centre, and Associate Professor and NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow at Monash University, Shalini seeks to address the gaps in innovation and translation.
She also draws on perspectives from her clinical work as an addiction psychiatrist to inform a clinical trial program into medication and psychological treatments for addiction.
Shalini is particularly focussed on co-occurring trauma and related mental health problems.
When misunderstanding about addiction leads to stigma and incorrectly blaming the individual, it can create a barrier to accessing evidence-based effective care. However, by drawing on Shalini’s work and treating addiction like any other health condition, Australia’s health system could revolutionise outcomes for individuals and families living with addiction.
Turning Point congratulates Associate Professor Shalini Arunogiri for this deserving recognition of her work.