Guest Speakers for 2025
7th July 2025 – Rupert McCall
Rupert McCall is an Australian poet of international renown who has presented on stages from Anzac Cove in Gallipoli to Ground Zero in New York.
From Roger Federer & Steve Irwin to Shane Warne & Winx, his tributes to our heroes and special occasions, have become highly sought-after for the indelible mark they have left on audiences everywhere. He is the author of seven anthologies of verse that have collectively sold over 120 000 copies. In 2013 as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, Rupert received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to the community, particularly as a port.
4th August 2025 – Professor Kerrie Mengersen
Topic: “Looking at our World Through a data lens".
Professor Kerrie Mengersen’s expertise is in statistical and AI methods, computational algorithms, the modelling of complex systems, big data analytics, Bayesian statistics, responsible data science and translation with impact in health, environment, sport, business and industry. She has recently been appointed Founding Director of the QUT Centre for Data Science, is also the Chair in Statistics and Distinguished Professor, QUT, Department of Statistics as well as an Oxford University Associate Member. Professor Mengersen’s many scientific achievements have been recognised world-wide.
1st September 2025 - Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council. Topic: "Judge for Yourself"
3rd November 2025 – Debbie Brittain
Topic: ‘Museums as Places for Human Flourishing: Sustaining Wellbeing of People Living With Dementia’.
Debbie Brittain is a Project Officer in the Learning team at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane and QAGOMA’s Art and Dementia Program Lead. Debbie is interested in life-long learning and regularly sees first-hand how the Arts play a contributing factor in enhancing psychosocial wellbeing for all ages and abilities.
Debbie developed QAGOMA’s award-winning Art and Dementia Program more than twelve years ago. The program has gained global recognition as an evidence-based model that intersects contemporary dementia care practice with participatory arts and wellbeing approaches. The program’s multi-modal format includes visual, auditory and tactile elements to enhance wellbeing within the therapeutic gallery setting.
Since completing a Bachelor of Dementia Care at the University of Tasmania, Debbie’s interest in non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia and the role of neuroaesthetics to engage cognitive function have seen the QAGOMA program broaden its scope.
In 2023, Debbie was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship by the Churchill Trust Australia which is independent of her QAGOMA role. Debbie’s research project investigated global best practice in museum programming to sustain wellbeing of people with dementia. This topic explores ‘museums on prescription’ type approaches to complement clinical care.
Debbie travelled to the USA, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom and Denmark in late 2024 to undertake her Fellowship across 8 weeks, which culminated in a report that has been published and disseminated by the Churchill Fellowship Trust (Australia).
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