Assbi
Student events

ASSBI Student Events

The student ambassador teams have continued to organise several ASSBI student events throughout the year all around Australia!

Keep an eye-out for upcoming events hosted by ASSBI student teams in your region via ASSBI social media pages!

For any student enquiries please email nicole.feast@research.uwa.edu.au

You can read more about the student events below:

Sydney Team

Event Recap – Sydney Lived Experience of Brain Injury Panel

On the 21st of May 2024, the Sydney ASSBI Ambassador team hosted a ‘Lived Experience of Brain Injury: Talk and Q&A’ event at Hermann’s Bar, University of Sydney. The event was attended by students from a variety of disciplines including allied health, neuropsychology, medicine and nursing.

Three guest presenters spoke about their lived experience of a brain injury; Ian Roberts, former Rugby League star & actor who spoke about concussion in sports; and Gabrielle Webster and Jayden Alexanderson both spoke frankly about Traumatic Brain Injury following road accidents, physical and ‘hidden’ injuries, rehabilitation challenges and brain injury advocacy. Following these incredible stories, Dr Melanie Moses (Speech Pathologist), Samantha Grant (Clinical Psychologist) spoke about the role of rehabilitation professionals, and facilitated a thoroughly engaging and fascinating Q&A session.

A huge thanks to the lived experience presenters and clinician speakers at this event. Well done Sydney Team (Kylie Southwell, Alex Manea, Ashna Nadan, and Jasmine Sandilant) for organising such a wonderful event!

Melbourne Team

Event Recap – Melbourne Team Movie Night!

The student movie night took place on 12/04/2024 and provided a casual yet enriching atmosphere for attendees. Networking opportunities allowed students from different disciplines and universities to connect with peers over shared interests. Awakenings, the film chosen for the event, struck a chord with attendees, offering relevance to their experiences in clinical placements. Discussions based on the movie's themes were engaging and thought-provoking. Overall, the evening provided a relaxed setting for students to unwind while also reflecting on their professional journeys.

Well done Melbourne Team (Kim Chew, Maddie Gibson and Lara Piccoli) for organising such a fantastic event!

Student Initiatives at the ASSBI Conference

Representatives from the ASSBI Student Network were involved in several aspects of the planning and delivery of the 47^th Annual Brain Impairment Conference, including a student social and a ‘Meet the Researcher workshop’. 

‘Meet the Researcher’ Event
This lunchtime event, chaired by Sydney Team Leader, Ky Southwell, was a wonderful opportunity for students to speak and connect with leading researchers working across multiple disciplines in brain impairment. There were nine fantastic speakers from across Australia and New Zealand, with research experience spanning topics including enhancing the quality of life, communication skills, social and psychological wellbeing, and outcomes for individuals with neurological disorders. 

A huge thank you to our volunteer speakers for being involved in this event: A/Prof Libby Callaway (Monash University), Dr Lee Cubis (Summer Foundation), Dr Sophie Brassel (University of Sydney), Dr Kate D’Cruz (Summer Foundation), Dr Rachael Rietdijk (University of Sydney), Dr Petra Avramovic (University of Sydney), Dr Josh Faulkner (University of Wellington, NZ), Prof Olivier Piguet (University of Sydney), and Dr Kate Gould (Monash University).

Student Social
We also held a student networking event over drinks at Eve’s bar in Sydney, which was a fun-filled evening for students to interact and foster connections in a casual setting.

Student Volunteers at the Conference
A big thanks to our volunteers from the ASSBI Student Network who travelled from Melbourne, Newcastle and locally in Sydney to help Margaret and Matt with ensuring that the conference ran so smoothly – Kim Chew, Ky Southwell, Emma Gifford, Alex Manea, Ashna Nadan, Jack Towsey, Jasmine Sandilant, and Maddie Gibson.

Welcome to the new Adelaide Team for 2024!

Following an additional recruitment drive for the ASSBI Student Network earlier this year, we are delighted to announce that we have an Adelaide Team for 2024! A huge thanks to the students in Adelaide who, after expressing interest in being involved in ASSBI, spread the word via their peers and student networks to be able to gather some additional interest and build a full team.

Team Leader: Chester Baluyot (Master of Occupational Therapy, Flinders University)

Student Ambassadors:

• Bill Kazis (Honours in Psychology, University of Adelaide)
• Eliza Le Mire (Honours in Psychology, Flinders University)
• Clare Vorel (Master of Occupational Therapy, Flinders University