ECU Professor Inducted into the WA Women's Hall of Fame

Professor Cobie Rudd, an Edith Cowan University Professor and Senior Executive, has been inducted into the WA Women's Hall of Fame for her contribution to education and health, and her continued efforts rectifying gender inequities in the workplace.

On Tuesday, 7 March 2023, Professor Cobie Rudd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Regional Futures) and Vice-President, was inducted into the WA Women's Hall of Fame at a gala ceremony held at Government House.

Professor Rudd was among 16 inspiring Western Australian (WA) women to receive the honour in the presence of the Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Former Governor of Western Australia and the Hon Sue Ellery, Minister for Finance; Commerce; Women's Interests in WA.

The WA Women's Hall of Fame acknowledges and honours the significant contributions women have made to WA's community and history, as well as helping to foster respect for women and progress in achieving gender equality.

Professor Rudd was acknowledged for her tremendous impact on the WA community and her extensive dedication towards boosting the availability of education opportunities, especially for women and girls and those in regional communities.

From creating rural and remote health centres, firstly throughout regional and far-north Queensland, to the ECU Health Centre in Wanneroo – as a primary healthcare facility (with a new ECU Yanchep Health Centre currently in development), these initiatives create a lasting impact as they offer a wide range of evidence-based health services for patients, their families, and carers.

Professor Rudd said she was honoured to receive the award “To be recognised with so many other notable women is both moving and inspiring. I hope I provide a positive example to others, particularly to young women, to pursue their journeys with confidence and resilience.”

Professor Rudd noted the significance of the WA Women’s Hall of Fame in promoting the discourse around women’s achievements.

“Over the past 13 years, the WA Women's Hall of Fame has been acknowledging the significant contributions women have made to WA's community and history. It’s such a privilege to be part of this collective drive to continue the ongoing work to realise gender equality,” said Professor Rudd.

Striving for gender equality

Professor Rudd is an accomplished academic leader in addition to being a well-respected and influential woman in the WA community. As an advocate for social responsibility, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, she is a strong champion for women.

Since 2015 Professor Rudd has led ECU through the international institutional accreditation program Athena Swan, managed in Australia by Science in Australia Gender Equality Limited (SAGE).

In December 2018, ECU was one of the first 11 universities in Australia to receive an inaugural Athena Swan Institutional Bronze Award. This award recognised ECU’s efforts in improving gender equity and diversity, particularly in STEMM disciplines. Also, on 4 August 2022, ECU was awarded the very first SAGE Cygnet Award in Australia. This inaugural Cygnet Award reported on ECU’s achievements in promoting equitable access to flexible working arrangements and is a crucial step towards achieving Athena Swan Silver accreditation.

Professor Rudd noted the need to provide equal opportunities for all genders through education, however, WA still had a long way to go in terms of moving the dial.

“Many fields are still dominated by men and therefore underrepresented by women. According to data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), as of November 2022, in Australia women still earn 87c less on every dollar than men do. That's $253.50less than men earn each week and WA still has the widest Gender Pay Gap in Australia at 22.1%,” said Professor Rudd.

Throughout her long and impressive career, Professor Rudd has served on over 14 boards, providing expertise to health and education agencies, often guiding difficult conversations to ensure good governance.

Professor Rudd is currently addressing ongoing gender imbalances that currently exist in the Australian Higher Education system, ensuring women are brought to the table not only as contributors to the conversation, but as part of the decision-making processes.

Community initiatives

Professor Rudd has led a diverse range of capacity-building and research projects on a national scale and held senior policy research and advisory roles for both State and Commonwealth governments, over decades. Her achievements for the community and economy in WA include the conceptualising and brokerage of well over $100 million in State and Commonwealth funding for infrastructure to boost training capacity in health and education, for both metropolitan and regional WA.

For example, recently, she led the establishment of the State’s first-ever Creative Tech Village with core funding from the WA State Government’s New Industries Fund.

The Tech Village was officially launched by Innovation and ICT Minister Stephen Dawson, and Regional Development Minister and Member for Bunbury Don Punch in Bunbury in late February.

The Statewide virtual village will focus on all regions to sustain wider State economic growth through augmenting the capacity of start-ups and businesses, to prosper in a distributed yet connected network. As well, international partnerships for creative tech exchanges have already been forged.

Edith Cowan University – PhD fellow inductee

Dr Charmaine Papertalk Green joined Professor Rudd in being inducted into the WA Women's Hall of Fame, for the enormous contributions and achievements she has made to Western Australia’s community, society, history, and culture.

Dr Green recently became the first PhD to be awarded through Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research. This achievement was further celebrated with Dr Green announced as the inaugural Kurongkurl Katitjin Research Medal recipient for 2022, recognising her academic excellence and outstanding effort applied throughout the program of study. Dr Green has had a strong association with ECU, having also completed a Master of Arts (Indigenous Sector Management) and Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Sector Management.

Born in Eradu, Charmaine is a proud Wajarri, Badimaya and Wilunyu woman of the Yamaji Nation. A visual artist, author, poet, photographer, storyteller, social science researcher, and academic, she shares her cultural knowledge in many different spheres. Dr Green is also dedicated to her work with the WA Centre for Rural Health in Geraldton.

Charmaine has written five books, won several awards including the prestigious Australian Literary Society Gold Medal, and her poetry is studied as part of primary and school curriculum. Involved with the Yamaji Art Centre in Geraldton for over 22 years, she is currently their Chairperson.