Deborah has faced multiple decision points in her studies and career, starting when she commenced her undergraduate degree in Medicine at UNSW and shortly after shifting her focus to Neuroscience at Macquarie University. A major career challenge for Deborah was choosing an academic over a clinical career path: a clinical career was low risk, but ultimately Deborah chose a research career for the freedom to pursue ideas intellectually and the excitement of discovery based science.

While undertaking her PhD in neuroscience, Deborah studied how an individuals’ psychology affects the perception of pain and how this subsequently influences our immune system. It was during these studies that she committed to learning more about the interactions between the brain and the immune system. Determined to learn from the best, she applied to the University of California in 1993, and was awarded a highly esteemed Post Doctoral Fellowship in Neuroimmunology at UCLA which she undertook for 3 yrs after which she continued at UCLA as a Research Associate in the Brain Research Institute for a further 3 yrs.

In 1998 she made the decision to return to Australia, leaving behind a successful career in the USA where she had established strong networks. Establishing and building a network in Australia took time and came with all of the challenges that early career academics face. The pressures to secure grant funding, publish papers, fulfill teaching and administrative responsibilities whilst also managing a growing laboratory, were significant. However, establishing strong supportive national and international networks provided an important support structure throughout the early years.

Taking up the role of Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Newcastle, was Deborah’s first serious foray into executive leadership. Whilst heavily committed to her research, Deborah also wanted to make a contribution to the University through leadership. This initial role proved to be one that allowed Deborah to develop her skill base in leadership and in particular on the development and implementation of research strategy. She developed a keen interest in the support of early and mid-career researchers. Understanding how to help academics in these early stages of their careers, to define their roles in academia, and to help facilitate progress in their careers with the challenging expectations of the academic system. Typically this ment learning how to balance academic requirements in research as well as in teaching and understanding the role they must play in leadership, even at the early stages of their careers. Deborah continued to take on leadership roles at the University of Newcastle. Deborah was appointed as Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation ad was in this role for 8 yrs. Subsequently she was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation. She is Professor of Neuroscience in the School of Psychology and the current Director of the Laboratory of Neuroimmunology at the University of Newcastle (UON). Professor Deborah Hodgson has had a distinguished academic career. She has had a commitment to building an interdisciplinary, collaborative research culture with research innovation and industry engagement as key goals.

Professor Hodgson has contributed extensively through her senior executive roles in the Higher Education and Professional Sectors. As ADVCR&I Professor Hodgson led the University’s research and innovation agenda. Professor Hodgson led the University in its key research goals; to grow research performance and demonstrate innovation and impact. During her tenure, UON had six successive years of research income (HERDC) growth (one of only 3 universities in the HE sector to do so) which has seen UON move to a rank of #9 in Australia. Key to this success has been a focus on regional engagement and innovation. Professor Hodgson has been instrumental in driving engagement with the rapidly evolving Defence Innovation Sector, leveraging UON and defence capability to enhance Defence and Aerospace collaboration. Professor Hodgson established the Defence Innovation Advisory Group (DIAG) to guide collaboration with local industry, Defence, Defence Primes and Government organisations to grow regional capacity and collaboration. She led the establishment of the Defence Innovation Hub at Williamtown facilitating collaboration between UON and the defence science sector. Professor Hodgson took the University lead on Australia’s newest defence and aerospace precinct, Astra Aero labs at Williamtown and was instrumental in developing research collaborations with BAE, Lockheed Martin, The RAAF, and a significant partnership with BOEING and TAFE for student internships (The Altitude ACCORD). In addition to the Defence Sector, Professor Hodgson focussed on working with the local regional community (government, business, and industry) to develop a cohesive approach using research and innovation to drive economic benefit for the region.

Professor Hodgson was also instrumental in improving research support through the provision of high-quality research facilities. She led the initiative to develop a business case which secured $37.5 million in funds to support the construction of a world-class biomedical and biological research facility. Construction of this facility was completed at the end of 2020 and is now operational. Professor Hodgson also chaired the STEMM Program Board for the establishment of the STEMM Precinct 2025. The new precinct aims to bring together interdisciplinary research and learning in the fields of STEMM.

Professor Hodgson has also had a strong focus on improving research training and support. As PVCRI she led the development of the Research Advantage program, a fundamental support program offering education, training, mentoring and research support. She also led an initiative to facilitate improved collaborative opportunities with our major health partners ( HMRI, HNEH, CCLHD) and was on the steering committee for the establishment of the Central Coast Research Facility at Gosford. She also developed an initiative to offer postgraduate training opportunities in research for clinicians and facilitated the development of a new model for managing research performance across the Priority Research Centres and Institutes. Professor Hodgson also had responsibility for graduate student training and developed several programs (Engaged PhD and Doctoral Training Centres) to provide pathways for PhD students wishing to focus careers on innovation, entrepreneurship, and in industry settings. Doctoral Training Centres were established to work closely with consortia of business and industry to solve at-scale problems for our industry partners, offering industry-co-supervision, co-location and practical experience for PhD students. Professor Hodgson also led the development of the new Research and Innovation Strategy (2021-2025) currently in the early implementation phase.

In addition to her executive roles, Professor Hodgson is well recognized for her role in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She led the University’s participation in the Science Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) pilot of Athena Scientific Women's Academic Network (SWAN) whereby UON was awarded the Bronze award. She sits on the Universities Australia Executive Women Advisory Committee, that provides high level strategic advice to Australian Universities and their governing bodies. She is committed to supporting women in academia, and is an advocate for the sponsorship of women. Deborah was responsible for the implementation of the first mentoring program at the UON and is committed to the continued support of academics at all stages of their careers. Deborah is the lead academic champion for the Science Australia Gender Equity Pilot being conducted in Australia. She is a mentor for numerous academics from a vast range of disciplines from within the University, and those external to the University. She views the role of mentor as one of privilege, to be entrusted to support and facilitate those on their own career journey.

Finally, Professor Hodgson continues to be an active and successful researcher in the field of fetal programming with success in National and International funding schemes securing almost $12M in funding. In acknowledgement, she has been awarded several Awards and Prizes and is regularly invited to present Plenary lectures at international congresses. Professor Hodgson has published in excess of 145 refereed journal papers, 3 Books, 13 Book chapters, and over 400 conference presentations. She has supervised 26 PhD students (with an additional 6 current), 67 Masters and Honours students, and 34 international master’s students. She has major international collaborations with partners in the USA, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and the UK. She has Editorial roles on several journals and was the elected President to the International society for Brain Behaviour and Immunity research (PNIRS) for the past 2 yrs. In addition to her academic and research roles she is a registered psychologist, an accredited Australasian practitioner in Anti-Ageing Medicine, and a graduate member of the Australian Institute for Company Directors. She sits on the Board of Directors for Headstart, AMPED, and PNIRS. She is an ambassador to the Fulbright Program, chairing senior panels for the USA and Australia. Deborah’s passion for her research comes from knowing the research she and her team conduct makes a difference. Her work has been translated into research projects in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, where attempts have been made to improve maternal outcomes through improved understanding of the impact of the early neonatal environment on long term health outcomes.

In 2021 Professor Hodgson chose to step down from her administrative posts to focus more fully on her research career and the roles she plays in leadership and mentoring.

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