Dr Fiona
Andrews is an Associate Professor from the School of Health & Social Development and Co-Director of Deakin’s only cross-faculty SRIC, HOME, a centre dedicated to interdisciplinary research, tosolve complex problems around affordable housing, homelessness and social inclusion
Welcome to the SSN, Fiona. Can you share a bit about your background and how you came to appreciate interdisciplinarity?
I started my career started with a PhD in Medicine and eight years postdoc as a laboratory-based biomedical researcher at Monash Medical School, before retraining as a social health researcher, while working in the community health sector. Having first-hand experience of two different research paradigms exposed me to more than one way to understand the same problem and was critical in developing my interest in interdisciplinary research.
Can you share an example of a fruitful collaboration? Why was/ is it so productive?
My most fruitful interdisciplinary collaboration has been in establishing HOME, the only Deakin University Strategic Research and Innovation Centre with members from all four faculties. Over the past eight years I have been involved in many different impactful interdisciplinary housing research projects with the HOME team, but the ‘Microvillage’ project perhaps exemplifies one of the most fruitful. This involved a collaboration with researchers from Health, Architecture, Human Geography, Anthropology, Business and Law disciplines, community members, Deakin students and an industry partnership that ultimately delivered seven purpose-built transitional housing units for men experiencing homelessness in Geelong. Critical to the success of this project, was the openness of all involved in embracing each other’s skills and knowledge, keeping in mind a common end goal of trying to make a difference to housing options for the most vulnerable.
What do you hope to achieve at the SSN?
As a new Deputy Convenor, I’m hoping to use my experience with HOME to help support and inspire current and future interdisciplinary researchers at Deakin University. Addressing complex societal challenges including those highlighted by the National Science and Research Priorities requires interdisciplinary approaches not just among academics but also in partnership with communities and industry. Working with the SSN, I hope to contribute to building Deakin’s capacity as a key contributor in this space.
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