SAGE is announcing two upcoming EDI Symposia designed specifically for the medical research institute (MRI) sector, coming to Melbourne in June and Sydney in August 2026. 

This symposium gets practical – focusing on the systems and structures that turn EDI commitment into lasting progress. You’ll leave with practical takeaways across three areas:  

  • Getting leadership buy-in: Practical approaches to engaging decision-makers, building accountability structures, and influencing EDI outcomes at every level of your organisation.  
  • Making the most of your resources: Models and examples for obtaining and managing EDI resourcing, including what’s possible with or without dedicated EDI staff.  
  • Doing the work well: Key competencies for EDI practitioners and leaders, evidence-based practice, relationship-building, and actionable guidance to strengthen your EDI strategy, planning, and communication. 

Who Should Come? 

These events are built for people doing the work and those who want to do it better. 

That includes EDI practitioners, HR and culture leads, MRI leaders, members of EDI or equivalent committees, and anyone interested in strengthening EDI practice in an MRI.  

If you work in culture, workforce strategy, or organisational leadership in an MRI, this is for you. 

Event Details 

Melbourne, Thursday 18 June 2026 | 9:30 am – 3:00 pm The Florey, Parkville. Register by 11 June 

Sydney, Thursday 27 August 2026 | 9:30 am – 3:00 pm Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst 

Cost: Free for SAGE member institutions | $50 per person for non-member institutions | $25 for students 

Register Now 

Click here to register for Melbourne and Sydney events.

Note: Registrations will close for the Melbourne event on the 11th June. 

Are you based in another state or territory? Express your interest for further events here. 

For more information, contact us at sage@sciencegenderequity.org.au 

Meet the Speakers 

We’ve brought together a diverse and impressive lineup spanning institute types, seniority levels, and areas of expertise: from leadership and researchers to EDI practitioners and professional services staff. 

Keynote Speakers 

Bree Gorman (they/them) | DEI Coach, Consultant and Trainer 

Dr Bree Gorman is a DEI strategist and educator who works with organisations to understand why their inclusion efforts stall and what structural changes are needed for them to actually work. For the past 10+ years they have partnered with leaders across sectors to embed inclusion into institutional systems, processes, and everyday decision-making. They particularly focus on the intersecting barriers that shape who advances, who belongs, and who gets left out. 

Bree has led a SAGE Athena SWAN Bronze application and has since supported universities with Cygnet applications and Bronze plan implementation. 

Ella Shellshear (she/her) | Manager, DEI | Burnet Institute 

Ella is a senior DEI leader and specialist with deep expertise in health and medical research, recognised for her ability to drive meaningful, organisation-wide inclusion outcomes that are impactful and built to last. She specialises in inclusive research practice, equipping research institutions with the tools, capacity and expertise to embed equity and inclusion into the very design and conduct of research itself — positioning organisations at the forefront of global best practice in health and medical research. 

A strategic and commercially-minded professional, Ella brings board-level thinking to DEI — connecting inclusion strategy to organisational performance, research integrity and long-term institutional reputation. She partners with leadership teams and governance bodies to ensure DEI is embedded as an enduring strategic priority, with the structures and capability to sustain momentum. 

Melbourne Speakers 

Joining us in Melbourne will be speakers from across Victoria’s medical research institutes, including: 

  • Marguerite Evans-Galea and Jennifer Zenker (Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute) 
  • Kelly Menzel (Burnet Institute) 
  • Ayan Dasvarma (Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute) 
  • Kate Mackin (Hudson Institute) 
  • Madison Hartill-Law and Lorey Smith (Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre) 

Sydney Speakers 

Our Sydney event features a stellar lineup from some of New South Wales’ prominent MRIs, including: 

  • Miles Davenport (Kirby Institute) 
  • Devanshi Seth (Centenary Institute) 
  • Keziah Bennett-Brook (The George Institute for Global Health) 
  • Robyn Morrison (Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute) 
  • Lydia Ho (Black Dog Institute) 

Speakers from Our Partnering Organisations 

  • Saraid Billiards (Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes) 
  • Khaled Chakli (Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences) 
  • Catherine Luckin (Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences) 

Event Partners 

These events are organised by SAGE in partnership with the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, and are supported by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources through the SAGE Framework project.