Mater’s Dr Katie Brooker is among five researchers from around the world recognised with a prestigious Wiley Research Hero award for her exceptional contributions to inclusive and innovative healthcare research.
As a member of the Queensland Centre of Excellence in Autism and Intellectual Disability Health (QCEAIDH), Dr Brooker’s work is focused on co-designing and implementing equitable and accessible research.
As part of her supervision of two employees with lived experience of intellectual disability, Dr Brooker involves the staff members in contributions to publications, including a recent article titled “Intellectual disability healthcare in Australia: Progress, challenges, and future directions”.
To ensure that participants with intellectual disability can receive information about research projects in a form they understand, Dr Brooker also translates all research documents into Easy Read format and involves these participants in focus groups and advisory meetings.
Dr Brooker said co-designing research with consumers was rewarding work.
“It’s important to support other team members and bring them up with you,” Dr Brooker said.
“Thank you, Wiley, for recognising me as a Wiley Research Heroes. It's an honour to receive this award and I’m looking forward to all of the great things the QCEAIDH team will achieve in 2025!”.
QCEAIDH Director Dr Cathy Franklin said Dr Brooker was a leader in her field.
“She is a champion for inclusive research in intellectual disability health research,” Dr Franklin said.
“This includes everything from training the research assistants with intellectual disability in research skills, interviewing research participants with intellectual disability, analysing data and working together to prepare publications and conference presentations.
“She is a research hero!”
