A student at Griffith University, Mahima’s research aims to create a model for improving the lives of Syrian refugees in the 70,000 person Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan, by enhancing their access to primary healthcare services within their semi-permanent refugee camp, promoting good health and wellbeing in this highly vulnerable community. 

The “research by design” strategy focuses on improving healthcare accessibility by addressing physical, social, and cultural barriers, with the design and placement architecture of modular healthcare satellite clinics interconnected with the central “hub” hospital, to improve accessibility and patient flow.

Designs incorporate recycled materials, and the principles can be adapted to other similar situations.

First place went to Emily Nabong of the University of Sydney on empowering climate resiliency with an interactive policy tool.

Emily’s research focuses on developing a tool that helps policy makers to simulate the potential long-term effects of climate change adaptation strategy choices in a risk-free virtual environment, across metrics such as water needs, housing, land use and reclamation, health, and income, rather than testing through actual trial and error implementation.