Inspiring Orange

Yesterday I had a series of inspiring meetings in Orange, NSW - my neighbouring city. First I met with Asta Fung and we shared wonton soup and our research journeys. I was Asta's lecturer at The University of Sydney in the 1990s. She is undertaking a PhD at the University of Newcastle about breathing and pain control using her speech pathology expertise. Next I met with four fourth year speech pathology students undertaking their fieldwork placements at Orange Community Health/Hospital. I loved their enthusiasm and we talked about how their professional (and personal) futures are an adventure. I believe that they have chosen a fantastic profession to be part of. Finally I spent the afternoon with Cathie Matthews, a speech pathologist and colleague who has worked in the Central West for many years. She is undertaking the NSW Health Rural Research Capacity Building Program and has invited me to be on her mentoring team. What an inspiring day.

Year 4 speech pathology students from The University of Sydney

Cathie Matthews and Sharynne

Visiting Beijing Language and Culture University

On Friday Dr Ao Chen invited me to visit the speech-language pathology clinic at Beijing Language and Culture University.  Dr Chen obtained her PhD from Utrecht University (where Anniek van Doornik studies), and undertook a postdoc in infants' tone perception at Western Sydney University.

Walking with Dr Chen along the avenue of autumn trees

Beijing Language and Culture University has a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology and a Bachelors of Speech and Hearing. Prof Liqun Gao organised the Belt and Road summit, the lecturers presented and attended, and the students were volunteers (including Megan Li and Xiao Yao). I enjoyed visiting the university, seeing the clinic and having a long discussion about speech acquisition,  assessment, and intervention. We followed the visit with traditional Beijing hotpot.

Sharynne and Dr Ao Chen

Dr Chen and I met with the speech-language pathologist and students in the university speech clinic

Enjoying traditional Beijing hotpot