Curtin Health Community eNewsletter - September

Curtin staff, students and alumni are invited to contribute to the Pride Community Quilt, celebrating LGBTQIA+ inclusion, allyship and community.

The completed quilt will be displayed across campus and featured in the 2026 Perth Pride Parade. Our alumni community is warmly encouraged to get involved.

Giving Day 2026 brought Curtin alumni, students and staff together for a day of connection, fun and giving back. Held in support of the Because They Dare campaign, its goal was to raise funds for equity scholarships and professional development grants, helping more students overcome barriers and access life-changing education.

Featuring work by 49 artists from across regional Western Australia, Radical Futures explores bold visions for how we live, care for the land and preserve what matters through change. The exhibition reflects on cultural continuity, ecological responsibility, migration, belonging and community resilience.

Visit the John Curtin Gallery from 18 September to 6 December 2026. Entry is free and all are welcome.

A national vaping-prevention program involving Curtin researchers has received a prestigious 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prize.

Co-designed with students and teachers, the OurFutures Vaping Program has reached more than 300,000 young Australians and reduced students’ odds of vaping by 65 per cent after one year.

In a new article for The Conversation, Lauri Parr, Research Associate in Curtin’s School of Population Health, explores the lasting impact sharing photos can have on a child’s privacy, safety and digital identity. She outlines four practical questions parents and other trusted adults should consider before posting; particularly as AI creates new risks for how images may be used.

New Curtin research has found children who experience parental loss, including bereavement, parental separation or having a parent in custody, are twice as likely to develop a mental health disorder. Led by Professor Lauren Breen, the study highlights the need to identify affected children early and connect families with accessible, evidence-informed support. Read more about the findings.

A major Curtin study of more than 123,000 WA children has found preschool attendance is linked to stronger development and greater school readiness. Children who attended preschool performed better across every area measured, including social, emotional, physical, communication and learning skills. The findings highlight the importance of improving access to quality preschool, particularly in disadvantaged and remote communities.

Join us on Saturday 24 October at The Lantern, Level 7 of TL Robertson Library to celebrate 55 years of Dental and Oral Health Therapy education at WAIT/Curtin University.

Reconnect with former classmates, colleagues and friends as we revisit the people, places and experiences that shaped generations of practitioners; from hours spent in clinic and memorable uniforms to the friendships and careers that followed.

Eating disorders are complex, and the conversations around them matter. Join Curtin’s enAble Institute for the next Big Issues in Mental Health event, bringing people together to explore current challenges in understanding, supporting and responding to eating disorders.

Whether you work in healthcare, research, have lived experience or are part of the alumni community, this is an opportunity to hear different perspectives and take part in a thoughtful discussion on an important area of mental health.

Come along and see the Curtin team at the Telethon Family Festival!

We will be in the Beneficiaries Zone featuring Professor Yvonne Anderson’s Healthy Lifestyle Program. Entry is free and the zone is open from 10am.

Explore how TrEnD Lab researchers are advancing eDNA tools to monitor biodiversity across whole ecosystems and reveal the stories left behind in soil, water and air.