Scientific Advisory Board

Professor Sandra Capra received her BSc(Hons) and Diploma of Nutrition and Dietetics from Sydney University, her MSocSc from the University of Birmingham and her PhD from the University of Queensland. During 15 years in professional practice she held a number of senior dietetic positions both in Australia and overseas. She entered academia in 1988 and is currently Professor of Nutrition at the University of Queensland. Professor Capra has served on many national committees including those setting the nutrient reference values for Australia and New Zealand and the Dietary Guidelines for Australia. She served three terms as President of the Dietitians Association of Australia. She has been a Director of the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations since 2000 and has been Chair of the Board since 2004. She was an Independent Director of Health Workforce Australlia from 2010-2014. Professor Capra’s research has focussed on practice based research, tools development, systems and outcomes. She has published more than 200 written works including more than 80 peer reviewed articles. Professor Capra has been recognised for her service to nutrition and dietetics by being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, a Fellow of DAA and elected to life membership of the DAA.

Dr Judi Porter is a Senior Research Fellow at Eastern Health in Victoria, and Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics & Food at Monash University.  Judi has recently taken on the role of Editor of Nutrition & Dietetics.

Dr Ingrid Hickman is an Advanced Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Principal Research Fellow with the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. In 2004, she obtained her PhD from the University of Queensland and since then has developed a strong internationally recognised track record in nutrition research in the fields of metabolism, liver function and obesity-related chronic diseases. She is a recognised expert in clinical research methodologies and has a passion for building research capacity within the dietetic profession.

Dr Shelley Wilkinson is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and is the Senior Research Dietitian in the Mater Mothers’ Hospitals (MMH), Brisbane. She currently holds a Queensland Health – Health Research Fellowship investigating ways to improve the health of Queensland mothers and babies, building on her successful NHMRC TRIP fellowship in which she translated GDM guidelines into practice. Her research follows key steps known to facilitate the adoption of best practice to support women have healthy pregnancy outcomes for long-term maternal and infant health. Using a process of local development and testing of models of care, refining models through regional collaborations, followed by wider dissemination she is aiming to increase the nutrition knowledge, know-how, and capabilities of state-wide services and clinicians to provide the best nutritional care to women during and after pregnancy. Shelley also has a PhD in Psychology. Shelley received her Graduate Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics from Queensland University of Technology, and her Doctoral Degree from the University of Queensland.

Therese O’Sullivan is a senior lecturer and researcher at Edith Cowan University, where she teaches in the Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics and conducts research in the area of child health and the Nutrition Care Process. She previously worked on the longitudinal Raine Study at the Telethon Kids Institute, and in private dietetics practice. Since receiving her PhD at the Queensland University of Technology, Therese has published 40 peer reviewed publications and two text book chapters, and is passionate about practical and translatable research.

Professor Peter Davies is an Honorary Professor of Childhood Nutrition in the Children’s Health Research Centre within the University of Queensland.  He has previously held the positions of Deputy Head of UQ’s Medical School as well Director of Research for the School of Medicine. He has published over 450 articles and papers in the field of nutrition, growth, energy metabolism and body composition in both health and disease in infants and children over a number of years. He is a past member of the NHMRC Dietary Guidelines Working Committee and the NHMRC Infant Feeding Committee and he also a member of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Infant and Young Child Scientific Advisory Group. He was made a Fellow of the Nutrition Society of Australia in 2015. He is also the inaugural Chair of the Early Life Nutrition Coalition.