WeAreHughes
Craig Kelly Must Go and WeareHughes are proud to present :

Bushfires and Pandemics: A conversation immune to politics
Sunday 20th September 5.30pm
Link to register for this zoom event
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Our guest speakers will give a valuable insight into scientific advancement, on the ground application and how science working with practitioners benefits all of us.
We welcome our guest speakers:
Professor Jason Sharples
Professor of Bushfire Dynamics at UNSW Canberra.
Anthony Hutt
Local Hughes business owner and RFS volunteer.
Professor Madeleine King
Cancer Australia Chair in Quality of Life (QOL) and Director of the QOL Office at the University of Sydney.
Doctor Jennifer Tobin
Emergency Doctor

Professor Jason Sharples : Professor of Bushfire Dynamics at UNSW Canberra

Photo credit: Tamara Dean
Professor Sharples is an internationally recognised expert in dynamic bushfire behaviour and extreme bushfire
development. He has worked in the field of bushfire science since 2006 and has led research projects into various aspects of fire science, fire weather and bushfire risk management since2011.
His is currently the Project Leader of two Australian Research Council Discovery Indigenous projects and a Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre project.
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Professor Sharples’ main research interests are mathematical modelling of environmental and industrial processes. These include combustion reactions, extreme and dynamic bushfire behaviour and fire weather processes. As part of his research he engages with various fire management and emergency service agencies and government institutions such as the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO.
Jason’s main objective is to provide better understanding of bushfires and related environmental processes, with the aim of improving firefighter and community safety, and environmental sustainability.
Professor Sharples was part of team of scientists who coordinated the development an open letter signed by 446 scientists with research expertise across the fields of climate, fire and weather science on the scientific basis for the links between climate change and bushfires in Australia. A link to the letter can be read here: Open Letter
Jason is currently co-authoring a book entitled “Extreme Bushfire: a reference for fire fighters."
Anthony Hutt Local Hughes businessman and RFS volunteer.

Satellite image of Mount Wilson after the 2019 Bushfires.

Anthony purchased an idyllic property in Mount Wilson only months prior to the December 2019 fire. The Gospers Mountain fire was active since October, residents in Mount Wilson were warned it wasn’t a matter of "if" the the fires came but "when".
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Two Mount Wilson homes were destroyed in December 2019, another two homes were destroyed only six years prior in 2013.
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Anthony’s story is a personal and powerful account of fire preparation, predictions, community and the human toll.
Professor Madeleine King
Cancer Australia Chair in Quality of Life (QOL) and Director of the QOL Office at the University of Sydney.

Doctor Jennifer Tobin
Emergency Doctor

Hughes resident Dr Jennifer Tobin will talk with us about life as an emergency doctor and the initial response to Covid-19 .
Advancements in diagnostic testing and increasing knowledge of the virus have had major impacts on medical processes. Jennifer’s first hand experience is an insight in adapting to Covid-19 in a fast-paced changing clinical workspace.
Thank you in advance to all our guest speakers for contributing their time.
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Hughes resident Professor King will speak with us about good evidence and why it matters
Professor King has been the Cancer Australia Chair in Quality of Life since its establishment in 2008. She is a clinical research methodologist with experience across biostatistics, epidemiology, psychometrics, and health economics – all key aspects of QOL research, which is a multi-disciplinary endeavour.
In recent years Professor King has focused on improving standards of Patient reported Outcomes and Quality of Life research in clinical trials, from protocol development through to peer-review reporting.
‘We Are Hughes’ acknowledge and respect the traditional owners of the regions we are fortunate to inhabit. We recognise their connection to the lands, the waters, the culture and the community. We recognise all Elders past present and future. We extend that respect to all indigenous persons who visit our site and welcome all to join in our cause.