Cancer graduation

I just graduated from my 8 year cancer journey. Thank you Prof Fran Boyle, Prof Andrew Spillane, Prof Gillian Lamoray, my wonderful family and friends. I'm so glad to be alive.

My oncologist, Prof Fran Boyle celebrating my cancer graduation (wearing my PhD bonnet that was at hand for the photo)

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LSHSS clinical forum

Today Helen Blake and I were able to meet with Dr. Karla N. Washington, Editor in Chief of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools to discuss papers in our clinical forum: Children’s communication and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). 

 https://speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com/2026/04/lshss-special-issue-on-convention-on.html

 

Kangaroos at The Treehouse

The kangaroos have come onto campus for spring. We even had two hop by The Treehouse this week!

United Nations recommends the Equal Earth world map

I am delighted that last week (4th September 2026) the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has voted to change their world map from the Mercator projection (created in 1569) to the Equal Earth projection aimed at "a more accurate representation" of the world: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/09/1168284

The UN Equal Earth projection is here: https://www.un.org/geospatial/content/map-world-1

Equal Earth projection adopted by the United Nations 

I have long advocated for using an equal earth projection of the world. In the Oxford Handbook of Speech Development in Languages of the World (McLeod, 2026) I had bespoke maps made for each chapter (language/dialect) using this projection - and an explanation and comparison with the Mercator projection is outlined in chapter 1.

Here is a map from my book showing the distribution of Afrikaans:

 

50 ASHA journal publications

I have published 50 articles in American Speech-Language-Hearing Association journals. Here is a summary of these publications

 https://pubs.asha.org/action/doSearch?ContribRaw=McLeod%2C+Sharynne

I am very proud that more than one quarter (28%) are with my students as first authors. 

From Mike Cannon: Senior Director, Serial Publications and Editorial Services
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 

Dr. Sharynne McLeod is a Distinguished Professor of Speech and Language Acquisition at Charles Sturt University in Australia. She has received honors from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and served six times on the ASHA Convention Program Committee. She has served as an editorial board member for ASHA journals, was the lead author on articles that received ASHA Journals Editor’s Awards in 2018 and 2019, and has received worldwide acclaim for transformative research on communication rights.

Dr. McLeod has authored or co-authored 50 articles in ASHA journals, dating back to 1994. Together, these articles have amassed more than 2,800 citations and have been read more than 700,000 times. One article, "Children's English Consonant Acquisition in the United States: A Review," which she co-authored with Dr. Kathryn Crowe and published in American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (AJSLP) in 2020, has recently surpassed 300,000 downloads,  and "Children's Consonant Acquisition in 27 Languages: A Cross-Linguistic Review," co-authored with Dr. Kathryn Crowe and published in the November 2018 issue of AJSLP) surpassed the 200,000-download mark.  

Welcome to CVC Felicity

It was wonderful to host Felicity Laurence, my PhD student at The Treehouse in Bathurst this week. The kangaroos all came onto campus to meet with her. We were able to meet with Dr Audrey Wang, Dr Nicola Ivory,  Emma Hayes and Emma Scanlon in person and Sarah Verdon online during the very productive week. Felicity also won a CSU cap during the student promotion of RUOK? day!

Royal Society of NSW - voting to increase participation of young people under 35 years

 The Royal Society of NSW is voting on the following

At its 26 August 2026 meeting, the Council of the Royal Society of NSW considered changes to the Rules of the Society that will support the increased participation of, and engagement by, young people by broadening the category of Associate Membership and providing for an appointed Early Career Researcher member of the Council.

Children's Voices Conference 2026 (CVC2026)

This week we have hosted the Children's Voices Conference 2026 (CVC2026) at The Treehouse and online: https://childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains/2026/

CVC2026 Snapshot

Registrations

• 1434 attendees | 64 countries

Presentations

• 7 keynotes (free online access)
• 2 streams (free online access)
• 144 oral presentations | 35 countries: 
  Creating a More Inclusive World for Children: International Interdisciplinary Research 
• 200 children's drawings: 
  Children Draw Health Global Online Galleries
• 5 yarning circles (free live + online access)
• Welcome to CVC2026 (free online access) by CSU Deputy Vice Chancellor Neena Mitter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=379fUQwLtU4 
• Launch of CVC2026 (free live + online access) with CSU Vice Chancellor Renée Léon, Children’s Voices Centre Children’s Advisory Group with Associate Professor Kathy Cologon, and keynote speaker Dr Mélanie Gréaux, World Health Organization, Switzerland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3JZ6aS8Drg&t=1s
• Launch of Children Draw|Create|Share Belonging (free live event)

CVC committees

• 80+ affiliates and adjuncts from Charles Sturt University Children’s Voices Centre

CVC2026 conference launch with the Vice Chancellor and CVC staff and affiliates (Photo: Amy Whitfield)

Some of our CVC staff and affiliates on the first morning of CVC2026 (Photo: Amy Whitfield)

 

Statistics

• 1,343 video views across all videos in the Children's Voices Conference 2026 playlist. Video views count from the moment a video starts to play.
• 151.4 total hours watched
• 6.46 minutes average view duration
• The launch video has had 130 views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3JZ6aS8Drg&t=1s
• CVC-601 has had the 2nd highest views of 107 views: https://youtu.be/_HankKrLW6g

Registrations

1434 registrations | 64 countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Ghana, UK, Greece, Hong Kong SAR China, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Macao, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Türkiye, Uganda, United States, Vietnam.  

7 Keynotes

1. Dr Mélanie Gréaux, World Health Organization, Switzerland 
2. Dr Chemba Raghavan, UNICEF Global Center of Excellence, Nairobi, Kenya 
3. Dr Zinnia Mevawalla, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom 
4. Robyn Monro Miller AM, Play Australia (IPA Australia Inc), Australia 
5. Laura Stone, Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) Kids, Australia 
6. Ella Simons, Future Council, Australia with Dr Lindsay Smith, Charles Sturt University, Australia
7. Children’s Voices Centre Children’s Advisory Group with Associate Professor Kathy Cologon, Charles Sturt University, Australia

 STREAM 1: Creating a more inclusive world for children: International interdisciplinary research  https://childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains/2026/

1. Children’s rights, voices, and perspectives 
2. Children’s inclusion 
3. Children’s communication 
4. Children’s learning and activities 
5. Children’s health and disability 
6. Children’s services workforce and policy 

STREAM 2: Children Draw Health Global Online Galleries https://www.csu.edu.au/research/childrens-voices-centre/research/childrens-health
200 children from 18 countries (including 101 from Mongolia!)

1. What makes you healthy? 
2. Where do you go to get healthier? 
3. Who helps you be healthy? 
4. What your ideal hospital or health service looks like? 

LAUNCH: Children Draw|Share|Create Belonging

Children and families came to launch this new research initiative that aligns with the theme of CVC2026

Yarning circles

1. Children’s Rights, Voices and Perspectives Yarning Circle
2. Children’s Inclusion Yarning Circle
3. Children’s Communication Yarning Circle
4. Children’s Learning and Activities Yarning Circle
5. Children’s Workforce and Policy Yarning Circle 

THANK YOU 

Charles Sturt University Sponsors

• Professor Renée Leon (Vice-Chancellor)
• Professor Neena Mitter (Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Research)
• Dr Mark Filmer (Office of Research and Graduate Studies), 
• Dr Emmaline Lear (Office of Research Services and Graduate Studies), 
• Jessica Harper (Office of the Vice-Chancellor), 
• Bruce Andrews (Media), 
• Elia Lazarakis (Legal Services), 
• Simon McDonald (Spatial Analysis SPAN) 

Faculty of Arts and Education, Charles Sturt University Sponsors

• Professor Andrew Hope (Executive Dean), 
• Professor Matthew Winslade (Associate Dean Research)
• Kevin Ng (Technical Specialist Officer), Patrick McKenzie (Faculty Technical Manager), Janelle Bateman (Faculty Operations Team), Karl Shead (Technical Officer), Damian Moloney (Technical Specialist Officer) 
• Associate Professor Lena Danaia (Head, School of Education), 
• Ash Coleman (Faculty Executive Officer), Jennifer Morrison (Manager, Faculty Operations)

Children's Voices Centre staff, affiliates, adjuncts, HDRs
Conference Co-Chairs

• Associate Professor Kathy Cologon, Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod, Associate Professor Tamara Cumming, Children’s Voices Centre

Conference Secretary

• Dr Carolyn Gregoric, Children’s Voices Centre

Conference Administrator

• Emma Hayes, Children’s Voices Centre 

Digital Media Curator

• Amy Whitfield, Children’s Voices Centre

Organisation Committee

• Dr Carolyn Gregoric (Chair)

• A/Prof Kathy Cologon, A/Prof Kathryn Crowe, D/Prof Sharynne McLeod, Sarah Stenson 

Children’s Voices Committee

• Associate Professor Kathy Cologon (Chair)
• A/Prof Kathryn Crowe, Dr Kate Freire, Katrina Gersbach, Kasey Hillyar, Dr Marie Ireland, Janine Krecko, Holly McAlister, D/Prof Sharynne McLeod, Arifa Rahman, Dr Lindsay Smith, Sarah Stenson

Scientific Review Committee

• Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod and Associate Professor Tamara Cumming (Chairs)
• Dr Helen L. Blake, Sarah Bartlett, A/Prof Kathy Cologon, Associate Professor Kathryn Crowe, Dr Jessamy Davies, Dr Lysa Dealtry, Dr Belinda Downey, Dr Kate Freire, Dr Kasey Garrison Katrina Gersbach, Associate Professor Leanne Gibbs, Dr Carolyn Gregoric, Hannah Greig, Dr Jo Grimmond, Kasey Hillyar, Dr Laura Hoffman, Associate Professor Suzanne C. Hopf, Cyrena Hunt-Madden, Alam Hossain, Associate Professor Brendon Hyndman, Dr Marie Ireland, Janine Krecko, Dr Kate Margetson, Professor Jillian Marsh, Holly McAlister, Arifa Rahman, Associate Professor Mehdi Rassafiani, Dr Goutam Roy, Dr Shukla Sikder, Dr Lindsay Smith, Sarah Stenson, Professor Sarah Verdon, Dr Lucia Wuersch

Publications Committee

• Associate Professor Tamara Cumming (Chair)
• A/Prof Kathy Cologon, Dr Leanne Gibbs, A/Prof Suzanne C. Hopf, Alam Hossain, Associate Professor Brendon Hyndman, Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod, Arifa Rahman, Dr Goutam Roy, Dr Shukla Sikder, Professor Sarah Verdon

Promotion/Social Media Committee

• Associate Professor Kathy Cologon (Chair)
• Dr Marie Ireland, Janine Krecko, Dr Kate Margetson, Arifa Rahman

Participant Network and Fun Committee

• Sarah Bartlett and Dr Jo Grimmond (Co-Chairs)
• Dr Lysa Dealtry, Dr Carolyn Gregoric, Alam Hossain, Dr Shukla Sikder

Professional Recognition Committee

• Professor Sarah Verdon (Chair)
• Dr Carolyn Gregoric, Kasey Hillyar, Janine Krecko, Holly McAlister, Arifa Rahman

CVC 2026 Facebook group to keep the discussion going!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240093224084969 

CVC staff and affiliates outside The Treehouse

 

CVC2026 workshop - Sticks and stones, flowers and gnomes: Generative listening and the art of provocation

Today for our CVC2026 face-to-face workshop, our CVC Visiting Scholar led a workshop titled:

Sticks and stones, flowers and gnomes: Generative listening and the art of provocation

Dr Zinnia Mevawalla,  University of Strathclyde, UK

We not only learned about generative listening - but also practiced listening to one another using a range of artifacts as provocation. It was a valuable session. Thank you Zinnia.

 

 

 

LAUNCH: Children Draw|Create|Share Belonging

During the Children's Voices Conference (CVC2206) we had the official launch of Children Draw|Create|Share Belonging. Associate Professor Kathy Cologon and Dr Zinnia Mevawalla officially launched this new research project with CVC staff, affiliates, adjuncts and community members (especially children). We had a lot of fun creating artworks by learning about one another and depicting special aspects about that person to engage in an understanding of inclusion and belonging.

Kangaroo walk on Country to start CVC2026

 CVC affiliates gathered at the Kangaroo Walk behind CSU to spend an hour acknowledging the traditional custodians and Wiradjuri land as the first event of CVC2026. Over 100 local kangaroos were there to greet us.