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Defence Priorities 2006-07 - Focus on our people2007 Secretary of Defence Scholarship

The 2007 Secretary of Defence Scholarship was awarded to Mr Adam McKinnon by Mr Martin Bowles, Deputy Secretary Defence Support, in December last year in order to undertake research focusing on the use of injury surveillance systems for injury control and prevention in active populations. Leigh Richards explains.

Photograph, caption follows

Adam McKinnon (left) is presented with the Secretary of Defence Scholarship by Martin Bowles, Deputy Secretary Defence Support, on 4 December 2006.

Mr Bowles congratulated Mr McKinnon on his successful research proposal and noted that his studies are very relevant to the current environment within the Australian Defence Force. Mr McKinnon is currently working within the Defence Injury Prevention Program and is enrolled in a doctoral research program at Monash University. The research has great potential for providing a useful tool to maintain operational fitness and address the growing burden of physical injuries within Defence.

The research will be critical in the personnel arena by reducing the number of military personnel medically unfit for deployment on any given day due to injury, and by reducing the number of military personnel required to undertake premature retirement from service due to disability from injury each year.

The outcomes of this research and its practical application are expected to significantly improve the cost benefit ratio associated with injury prevention and control activities within Defence.

The Secretary of Defence awards one scholarship each year to an ongoing civilian employee who demonstrates the ability to research and produce a paper at an advanced level, in a field relevant to meeting Defence’s goals and outcomes.

Through the scholarship, recipients are funded for 12 months full-time postgraduate study on full salary, including allowances of up to $15,000 for related travel, accommodation and administrative expenses within Australia or overseas to conduct field research.

Previous scholarship winners have pursued research in Defence related fields such as strategy, security, information operations and management.

For more information regarding the Secretary of Defence Scholarship or other Executive Development Programs, please visit the Directorate of Career Enhancement website at http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/det/branch/dce/default.htm or contact the Manager, Executive Development Programs on (02) 6266 3526.

Leigh Richards works at the Directorate of Career Enhancement, Defence Education Training and Development in DSG.

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