Claudia Stoicescu
Public Health
Preparing students to tackle real public health challenges with compassion and evidence
Claudia teaches students to think critically, act ethically, and apply public health principles to improve health and wellbeing in communities.
What do you teach?
I teach in the Master of Public Health and coordinate Global Health Care Delivery: Principles and Challenges and Health Promotion and Program Planning. I also taught Evaluation as part of the Master of Public Policy and Management from 2023 to 2025.
What qualifications or professional experiences are most central to your work as an academic?
My academic and professional journey spans global public health research and practice. I completed my D.Phil. (PhD) in Social Intervention at the University of Oxford, where my doctoral work examined the syndemic effects of intimate partner violence, substance use, and depression on HIV risk among Indonesian women who inject drugs. I later worked as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University and continue to serve as a Research Associate at Oxford’s Centre for Criminology. Before joining Monash University, Indonesia I worked on the frontlines of the HIV and AIDS response with underserved communities and drug policy advocacy across diverse international settings—from delivering harm reduction services on the ground to advising governments and United Nations agencies. My work bridges research, policy, and community engagement across multiple countries and health systems.
Public health education must centre on equity, evidence, and lived experience.”
What are you doing differently in your field that you believe is driving real change?
I combine rigorous academic training with real‑world public health practice. My courses embed experiential learning, policy‑relevant assignments, and community engagement so students work on complex, real issues - not just theory. They write policy briefs, develop mock research proposals, and participate in simulations based on real health system challenges. I also centre health equity and social justice across all units, helping students understand how structural forces shape health outcomes and how to translate evidence into meaningful action.
Tell us about a specific moment when you saw a student transform. What happened, and what role did you play?
One powerful moment came during a pandemic preparedness simulation I adapted for graduate students in Indonesia. Students took on roles across government, civil society, and international agencies, making decisions under pressure and uncertainty. Several students who initially felt unsure about their professional voice emerged as confident leaders by the end. My aim was to create a safe, applied learning environment and guide reflection. Students later shared that the experience changed how they understood health systems, power, ethics, and helped them see themselves as future practitioners.
What’s something about Monash University, Indonesia that would surprise people in a good way?
People may be surprised by how globally connected and locally grounded Monash University, Indonesia is. Students engage with international research standards while working on issues directly relevant to Indonesia and the broader region. The campus fosters close mentorship, transdisciplinary collaboration, and meaningful community engagement, creating a learning environment that is academically rigorous and deeply human.
What industry partnerships, research collaborations, or real‑world projects are you and your students currently involved in?
My students regularly contribute to applied research in global health, HIV prevention, mental health, and health systems strengthening, with projects funded by agencies such as UNAIDS and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative. They work on mixed-methods research, develop publishable manuscripts, and collaborate with health practitioners, peer researchers, and policymakers. I also often bring community leaders and people with lived experience into the classroom as co‑educators, because seeing how evidence can fuel advocacy and change is itself transformative .
What’s one thing you're working on right now that doesn't fit the traditional "academic" mould?
I’m mentoring peer researchers with lived experience and bringing them into both teaching and research spaces. This work creates pathways for people who are often excluded from academia to contribute to knowledge production and public health solutions. It’s a more inclusive approach that challenges traditional boundaries of who gets to participate in teaching and research.
If you had to explain your research’s impact and/or teaching philosophy to a prospective student's parents over coffee, what would you say?
My goal is to help students become thoughtful, capable professionals who can make a real difference in the world. I teach practical skills, critical thinking, and compassion, so graduates leave not only with knowledge, but with confidence, ethical grounding, and the ability to improve health and wellbeing in their communities.
What achievement, qualification, or milestone in your academic or professional journey are you most proud of, and why?
I’m most proud of mentoring dozens of students and peer researchers—many from underrepresented backgrounds—and supporting them through their first publications, research projects, and career steps. Watching them grow into confident professionals is the most meaningful measure of impact for me.
What advice would you give a student who hopes to build a similar career or level of expertise?
Stay curious and open to learning from unexpected places, find mentors who challenge you to grow, and resist the pressure to fit neatly into one discipline, sector, or role. Real impact happens when strong technical skills are paired with empathy, openness, and a commitment to social justice.