With researchers from Atoifi Adventist Hospital, East Kwaio community and Australian institutions and organisations, the Atoifi Health Research Group has a variety of public health research skills and experience. These include community engagement, epidemiology, parasitology, social science research, health promotion, medical science research and cultural anthropology. Formally led by Late Emeritas Professor Rick Speare (Tropical Health Solutions), Australian researchers supporting the Atoifi Health Research Group come from James Cook University and Hunter New England Health. Dr David Akin, anthropologist from the University of Michigan, USA and Dr Michael Marks, Specialist Registrar in Infectious Diseases from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are is also supporting community-led research projects.
Professor Speare's Legacy Continues to Inspire
On Sunday 5 June, 2016 Emeritus Professor Rick Speare, our Group Leader and dear friend, was tragically killed in a car accident.
One of Rick’s great passions was to understand and improve the health of people, and animals, in the Pacific. For almost a decade, Rick has worked to establish and support the Atoifi Health Research Group in Solomon Islands. We will be forever grateful for the vision, leadership and encouragement Rick has shown each of us. The Rick Speare Memorial Fund has been established to help continue the research capacity strengthening work in Solomon Islands.
To donate to the Rick Speare Memorial Fund, that will help fund research capacity strengthening work in Solomon Islands, please click on the Donate tab above, or visit: https://alumni.jcu.edu.au/rspearememorialfund