Rate My Professor James Ward

Professor James Ward, a Pitjantjatjara and Narungga man, is an infectious diseases epidemiologist and serves as Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at The University of Queensland. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of New South Wales. Over 25 years, Ward has advanced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public health through research and policy roles in urban, regional, remote, and very remote communities for government and non-government organisations. Key appointments include Inaugural Program Head of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program at the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales from 2007; Deputy Director of the Baker Institute's Aboriginal Health Program in Alice Springs from 2012; and leadership positions at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. He has contributed to national committees such as the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia, Australian National Council on Alcohol and Drugs, CDNA COVID-19 Working Group, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander COVID-19 Taskforce, influencing guidelines, policy, and practice.

Ward's research program addresses epidemiology and prevention of infectious diseases in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, focusing on sexually transmissible infections including syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis; viral hepatitis B and C; substance use such as methamphetamine and alcohol; harm reduction; sexual health; and cancer care across diverse settings. He leads initiatives like point-of-care testing, molecular diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance surveillance for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, quality improvement for STI management in remote primary care, ATLAS sentinel surveillance network, Young Deadly Free peer education, Strong & Deadly Futures web-based prevention, and vaccination impact studies such as 4CMenB for meningococcal disease. With over 160 publications, key works include 'Strategies to improve control of sexually transmissible infections in remote Australia' (The Lancet Global Health, 2019), 'Impact of testing strategies to combat a major syphilis outbreak among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: A mathematical modeling study' (Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 2022), 'Infectious syphilis in women and heterosexual men in major Australian cities: sentinel surveillance data, 2011–2019' (Medical Journal of Australia, 2023), and 'A systematic scoping review of indigenous-specific research evidence on child sexual abuse' (Child Abuse and Neglect, 2026). Ward directs major grants including NHMRC Synergy Grant 'Eliminating endemic sexually transmissible infections in remote Australia' (2020-2025) and ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship 'Transforming cities for Indigenous Peoples' social and emotional wellbeing' (2026-2031). His contributions earned election as Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2024) and the Outstanding First Nations Researcher Medal.