Monash University Wins National Shaping Australia Awards for Research Impact
Monash University has secured top honors at the 2025 Shaping Australia Awards. Discover how Professor Victoria Mar and Associate Professor Louisa Willoughby are revolutionizing melanoma detection and communication access for the Deaf and Deafblind communities.
Harry Taruva 
Melbourne - Monash University researchers have secured top honors at the national Shaping Australia Awards, recognized for pioneering work in disability communication and melanoma detection, the University announced on Thursday.
The awards, an initiative by Universities Australia, serve to highlight University-led projects that provide measurable social impact and strengthen national community infrastructure.
Monash researchers took home two major category wins in the 2025 cycle, reflecting the institution's growing influence in public health and the humanities.
Associate Professor Louisa Willoughby, from the School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, received the Judges’ Pick Community Champion Award.
Associate Professor Louisa Willoughby
Her initiative, "Breaking Barriers in Communication," addresses critical systemic shortages of interpreters and educators for the Deaf and Deafblind communities.
The project has been credited with embedding inclusion into national systems through the development of innovative learning tools and training frameworks.
"Associate Professor Willoughby’s project exemplifies the best of Australian research, grounded in genuine collaboration, informed by expertise and focused on delivering meaningful change," said Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Sharon Pickering.
Professor Katie Stevenson, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, added that the award highlights the practical application of academic rigor.
"By partnering closely with Deaf and Deafblind communities, she has helped build the systems, tools and training that make genuine communication access possible," Prof. Stevenson said.
In the medical sector, Professor Victoria Mar of the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine was granted the Problem Solver Award.
Professor Victoria Mar
The accolade recognizes her leadership in the Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis (ACEMID), a collaborative effort with the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney.
ACEMID utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, integrating AI, data science and dermatology to revolutionize early-stage melanoma screening.
"Professor Mar’s project reflects the extraordinary impact of her leadership in advancing early melanoma detection," Professor Pickering stated, adding that "through ACEMID’s national collaboration, she and her colleagues are reshaping how Australians access timely, life-saving screening."
Professor Sally Green, Interim Head of the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, noted that the project is expected to have a direct impact on the lives of Australians impacted by melanoma.
The 2025 Shaping Australia Awards saw three Monash projects shortlisted in total.
In addition to the winners, a team led by Dr. Kate Murphy was recognized in the Future Builder category for their work on academic freedom and global scholarship activism.
Meanwhile, the 2026 Shaping Australia Awards are scheduled to open for nominations later this year.
