International Women's Day 2020: We interview Professor Alison Kitson to celebrate

Professor Alison Kitson a Chief Investigator with the Centre of Research Excellence in Frailty and Healthy Ageing and is the inaugural Vice President and Executive Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University South Australia.

Prior to this appointment she was Dean and Head of School at Adelaide Nursing School at the University of Adelaide.

Alison’s  honours include, Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science (2015); Honorary Doctorate from Malmo University (2013); Fellowship of the American Nurses Association (2011), The Florence Nightingale Leadership Award in 2004; Distinguished Graduate of the Year from the University of Ulster in 2002, a Florence Nightingale Travel Award in 1999 (The Edith Cavell Travel Fellowship) and a Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in 1991.

In honour of International Women’s Day 2020 we asked Alison some questions about being a woman in research.

What drew you to research?

As a new graduate nurse working in Northern Ireland I found that I was continuously questioning why I was having to do certain things and follow rules that, quite frankly I thought were crazy. I realised that either I was going to have to leave nursing or I was going to have to learn how to generate evidence to prove how we needed to change nursing and the health system more generally.

I’m still trying to do this…

What has been your best experience you have had so far as a researcher?

It’s building teams and mentoring young, enthusiastic clinicians and academics who still want to change the world and make things better for people

What is one thing you would like to share with female researchers?

Don’t lose your voice and don’t tolerate any sort of prejudice and never feel guilty about being a mother and having a successful career

Which women in your life inspired/mentored you?

Florence Nightingale is my all time favourite followed by a former boss Beverley Malone.

And most recently I have been very inspired by our Caring Futures Institute Consumer Ambassador, Judith Leeson AM, who at 85 years of age is still actively campaigning for improving lives and communities here in South Australia.

And another wonderful young woman (who happens to be the sister of one of my mentees) should have the last word:

To the girls, to the women, to the mothers, to the daughters who hear the music bubbling within – please speak up. We need to hear your voices.

Go Hildur Gudnadottir for winning an Oscar for your music in the film the Joker and for making your acceptance speech count….. we all need to follow your example!!