Carl Francia
2024 Fellow
Carl is a Saibai Koedal clansman (Guda Muluilgal, Isua/Ibuai family) and early career academic with a clinical background in Physiotherapy. Throughout his career, he has sought to align his work with his passion to positively impact health, education, training and workforce outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
As a researcher, he is completing the last year of a PhD investigating the epidemiology of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Queensland. Although he maintains a part-time clinical role at TPCH, his main role is as an Associate Lecturer position in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, the University of Queensland.
In this role he has established and leads the Mabuiag UQ Partnerships Project; a project exploring educational and research partnership opportunities between the University of Queensland and the Mabuiag Island community (Gumuilgal and Mabuilgal) of Mabuiag Island, in the near western cluster of the Torres Straits (Muluilgal).