DrRenee Fiolet

Dr Renee Fiolet is an early-career trauma, violence and equity-driven researcher working as a Research Fellow in the Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research at Deakin University. Because of her passion for equity-focused approaches to health care and education, Renee uses co-design and participatory methods to underpin the majority of her work. Renee has published over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles (many as first-author), co-authored five book chapters, delivered over 35 conference presentations, developed several other research translation activities (such as online courses and resources, opinion pieces and community reports) and attracted over twenty-three million in funding. She recently had her post-doctoral position extended for an additional year after submitting a competitive application for extension.

Her nursing background drives her passion for improving equity and access in health care, and adopting a trauma-and violence-informed approach to care, particularly for First Nations peoples. She deeply believes in decolonising teaching and research approaches and using methods that will lead to strong engagement. Through qualitative research methods, she endeavours to improve the circumstances of people who have lived experiences of racial, socioeconomic, gender and other disadvantages by co-creating solutions to address the barriers they face.

With a focus on trauma and violence, Renee is interested in determining how to provide support to research colleagues working in similar sensitive areas, and she has recently led the development of co-designed resources to enhance support for Australian researchers. Her role as President of the Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International (NNVAWI) positions her to be well connected with other trauma and violence researchers across the globe. Renee has secured partnership funding to officially launch the Australian Advocacy for Safe and Ethical Research in Sensitive Contexts Network (AASERT) and co-facilitates the Trauma-aware education and research Community of Practice. Despite these achievements, her most significant successes are not quantifiable, as they exist in the relationships she has built with Aboriginal organisations, communities, and peoples, and the trust that she has earned in doing so.

Renee also has a strong interest in developing the research capacity of clincian researchers, First Nations peoples, and nurses, which she has been able to build while working with Deakin's Professor of Nursing at Barwon Health, Professor Alison Hutchinson.