Dean's Awards for Excellence 2025 | MNHS

Excellence in Education

The Dean's Awards for Excellence in Education are awarded across seven categories:

  • Excellence in Education - Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
  • Excellence in Education - Teaching Excellence
  • Excellence in Education - Innovation in Learning & Teaching
  • Excellence in Education - Educational Leadership
  • Excellence in Education - Programs that Enhance Learning
  • Excellence in Education - Industry Education Programs
  • Excellence in Education - Community Education Programs

Watch the videos with our award winners below.

Our Award Winners

  • Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

    Dr Brittany Vining
    Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences

    Brittany is an early-career researcher and educator, having recently completed her PhD and with teaching commitments for the last four years. Brittany is an excellent science communicator, authoring highly cited publications and has received numerous awards for presentations, including the second-best presentation at the Monash Health Translation Precinct PhD Student Showcase Symposium and first place in the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health’s 3 Minute Thesis. In 2024, Brittany received a Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Excellence in Teaching Award. Brittany’s teaching experience across undergraduate and graduate courses demonstrates her dedication and contribution to positive student experiences and reflects her meaningful impact on student learning.

  • Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

    Dr Zahra Aziz
    School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine

    Dr Zahra Aziz is a recognised leader in curriculum innovation and student-centred education in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. Her work integrates pedagogical research with inclusive, evidence-based and sector-informed design, resulting in high-quality learning experiences that are grounded in best practice and responsive to diverse learner needs. Her achievements are supported by consistently outstanding student feedback, strong peer recognition, a successful track record in securing competitive education research grants, and a nomination for a prestigious international teaching innovation award. She is a co-editor of The Future of Online Education and holds a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), reflecting her leadership in advancing teaching and learning at Monash and beyond. Alongside her teaching, Dr Aziz has maintained an active education research portfolio, regularly contributing to the scholarship of learning and teaching through peer-reviewed publications and national and international conference presentations.

  • Teaching Excellence

    Dr Sonja McKeown
    Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences

    Dr Sonja McKeown convenes second- and third-year units in the Anatomy & Developmental Biology course major and teaches across multiple areas in the Science DEV major, Biomedical Sciences, undergraduate and postgraduate medicine, on topics including developmental biology, molecular biology, histology and neuroanatomy. Sonja led a curriculum review and assessment transformation in core units in the DEV major, emphasising and expanding the development and assessment of transferable skills. Sonja develops in-class activities to enhance conceptual understanding of complex concepts and constructs clear, asynchronous, and real-time teaching materials that align with in-class activities and assessments. Sonja has developed a strong environmental theme in the third-year DEV curriculum, including planetary health and indigenous perspectives, which relates to key goals of the university’s Impact 2030 plan. Sonja’s innovations draw upon the scholarly literature and she has presented and published findings in local, national and international forums.

  • Innovation in Learning and Teaching

    GMA Anatomy Team
    Dr Yasith Mathangasinghe, Dr Jason Massey, Dr David Gonsalvez, Dr Vandana Nathan, Brenda Hernandez Salazar, Dr Piyumi Senanayake

    The Graduate Entry Medicine Anatomy program underwent a significant pedagogical transformation in 2025. Moving beyond didactic large-classroom activities, a suite of integrated innovations fostering active learning and clinical relevance was implemented. Core innovations include the novel high-fidelity Simulated Ward Rounds replacing traditional vivas with collaborative, authentic clinical problem-solving assessment; the novel BiasFix web application, a technological solution enhancing equity in subjective marking; ultrasound integration providing dynamic visualisation of living anatomy; clinical case-based workshops using real patient cases for authenticity; and dynamic student-led tutorials encouraging creative, non-traditional presentation formats. Frequent evaluation demonstrates profound positive impacts on student learning, engagement, clinical confidence and improved test scores. These innovations have gained significant recognition from colleagues and the institution through the adoption of the BiasFix web application and ultrasound integration across multiple units, as well as internationally, showcasing a successful and creative advancement in anatomy education.

  • Educational Leadership

    Professor Janeane Dart
    Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health

    Professor Janeane Dart is recognised for her exceptional and sustained leadership in enhancing teaching quality and educational standards at institutional, national, and international levels. Her influence is evident through a significant body of work, including transformational contributions to assessment practices and championing authentic and innovative learning experiences. Janeane is an established international leader in the dietetics profession, highlighted by her roles as Executive Director for Education and Accreditation for the International Confederations of Dietetic Associations and Board Director of Dietitians Australia and her recognition with the Dietitians Australia National Award of Merit in 2022. Janeane is recognised internationally for her landmark program of research on professionalism and sociocultural factors in dietetics, which has been transformative, informing education and practice globally, including national competency standards and curriculum. Her leadership is further demonstrated through a strong record of mentorship, international delivery of professional development and impactful scholarly outputs. Janeane is an outstanding leader, educator and innovator.

  • Programs that Enhance Learning

    Monash Rural Health Gippsland & Gippsland Region Public Health Unit
    Associate Professor Catherine Haigh, Associate Professor Alyce Wilson, Dr Paul Brougham

    Director of Monash Rural Health Gippsland, Associate Professor Cathy Haigh, Senior Lecturer and GP Discipline Lead, Dr Paul Brougham, and Director of Gippsland Region Public Health Unit, Associate Professor Alyce Wilson, are leading an innovative collaboration integrating public health experiences into medical student placements in general practice. Recognising a gap in exposure to regional public health practice, they developed a pioneering program—the first of its kind in Victoria—enabling medical students to engage directly with real-world public health challenges. Since its launch in 2024, 16 medical students, alongside others from allied health and research streams, have participated. This initiative has strengthened ties between Rural Health Gippsland and the Gippsland Region Public Health Unit, creating new opportunities for shared education, research, and community-based programs. Their work has been showcased at Monash Medical Education Conferences in 2023 and 2024 and is helping shape the future of public health education in regional Australia.

  • Industry Education Programs

    Dr Marijke Mitchell
    Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health

    Dr Marijke Mitchell was recruited to Monash University to extend her innovative, simulation-based training and research and apply it to reduce behavioural emergencies at Monash Health. In 2023, she was the recipient of the competitive School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health Early Career Development Fellowship and was then appointed as Senior Simulation Educator to Monash Children's Simulation Centre (MCS) because of an urgent need to reduce behavioural emergencies. Dr Mitchell led the implementation of a bespoke best-practice training program to address this issue urgently, delivered to 300 interprofessional staff, and has established Monash University and Monash Health as leaders in this field.

  • Community Education Programs

    Emergency Medical Responder Team
    Fire Rescue Victoria/Monash Paramedicine
    Ellen Newman, Dr Ashlea Smith, Tanie Stickland

    The Emergency Medical Responder Team have made exceptional contributions to both Fire Rescue Victoria and Monash Paramedicine’s education programs through their leadership, innovation, and collaboration. Their work has strengthened connections between Fire Rescue Victoria and Monash, enabling paramedicine students and firefighters to engage in immersive simulation experiences to respond to community medical emergencies. They have contributed to the development of clinical protocols and resources that support safe, evidence-based practice. By mentoring staff and presenting their work nationally and internationally, the team have significantly advanced the standard of interdisciplinary education and multi-agency response across emergency response settings, facilitating further opportunities for education and research.