Associate Professor Peter Higgs is a Principal Research Fellow at the Burnet Institute. With a background in social work, he combines his experience in community development with methods from applied anthropology and field epidemiology in his collaborative research. Enduring relationships with cohorts of people using drugs have been fostered by flagship projects including the Networks study, SuperMIX and MIX/MAX. Previous academic roles at the Kirby Institute, the National Drug Research Institute and the Department of Public Health at La Trobe University mean he has been fortunate to work with and learn from leading researchers across the sector. A/Prof Higgs has strong community health and human service connections and a genuine commitment to improving the health of people who use drugs, recognised with Hepatitis Victoria’s Individual Contribution Recognition Award (2017). He has an editorial role on the Drug and Alcohol Review and is currently the Treasurer with Harm Reduction Victoria.

Jane has been working with people who use drugs in various front line roles for more than twenty years. She currently coordinates the health promotion team at Harm Reduction Victoria. She has a seat on the board of AIVL, the peak body for drug user organisations in Australia and INPUD, the International Network of People Who Use Drugs. With more than thirty five years lived experience she passionate about the health and human rights of people who use drugs and is a strong advocate against stigma and discrimination toward her community. She is a huge dog lover who also happens to be dependent on cheesy reality television and heroin.

Presentation of the Senior Scientist Award, Advocacy Award and the Clinician Award.