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Bill's research breaks the sound barrier

Bill Thompson
Winner of the 2024 Vice Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence, Professor Bill Thompson.

Studies linking music as a treatment for dementia have helped earn Professor Bill Thompson Bond University’s top research award.

Professor Thompson received the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence at the university’s 2024 Research Awards in recognition of his outstanding work on neurological disorders, including dementia.

A qualified psychologist, Prof Thompson has spent time at Queen’s University, Kingston, the University of British Columbia, the department of neurology at Harvard University, and was a Visiting Professor at the University of Montreal and University of London.

He said he had always been interested in how the mind works.

“I am especially interested in the cognitive, emotional, social and cultural implications of music.

“Music is profoundly important to people all around the world, and we are now starting to understand why.”

Speaking by video link from a Perth conference, Prof Thompson praised his research team and peers for their support and encouragement during his research projects.

Together with other members of the Music, Sound and Performance Lab, Prof Thompson is studying issues such as musical creativity, music and emotion, music and the imagination, musical disorders, and uses of music to treat neurological disorders such as dementia.

award
Research Awards winners Dr Alex Acheampong (Early Career Research Excellence), Professor Peta Stapleton (Research Supervision) and Dr Kelly Leech (PhD).

Former Australian Psychologist of the Year, Prof Peta Stapleton, was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Research Supervision.

Prof Stapleton supervises students engaged in clinical psychological research trials using innovative therapies such as energy psychology techniques.

She is currently Chair of Graduate Research at Bond University and boasts 30 years' experience as a registered clinical and health psychologist and academic.

Prof Stapleton has been awarded many accolades including the Harvey Baker Research Award for meticulous research and the greatest contribution to the field of energy psychology.

In 2019 she was named Psychologist of the Year at the Australia Allied Health Awards and has a particular interest in biochemistry changes after psychological interventions.

Dr Alex Acheampong, an economist with special interests in energy and the environment, was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Early Career Research Excellence.

Dr Acheampong’s research interests also span neo-institutionalised economic/political economy, macroeconomics, development economics, international economics and infrastructure economics.

He is a globally recognised researcher in applied economics and has been ranked in the prestigious World Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University for citation impact every year from 2021-2024.

Dr Acheampong is also ranked among the top 200 young economists in the world by Research Papers in Economics and ranked among the top 10% of economists in Australia.

His publications have received citations in policy documents by notable institutions, such as the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Kingdom Government, the Bank of Spain, and the European Union.

A study into post-traumatic stress disorder by Dr Kelly Leech has earned her the Vice Chancellor’s PhD Award.

Dr Leech’s thesis suggests adding a mindful-interoceptive approach to understanding and treating PTSD.

Two Career Recognition Awards were presented to departing senior academics Professor Helen O’Neill and Professor Paul Glasziou.

As Professor of Evidence-Based Medicine at Bond University and a part-time General Practitioner, Dr Glasziou continues working at a rate that would embarrass those younger and less experienced.

Key to his focus now is reducing the massive waste in medication globally by offering drug-free treatments for more than 80 medical procedures, so far.

Dr Glasziou was a previous winner of the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence and is also a Member of the Order of Australia.

Honorary Adjunct Professor Helen O’Neill’s research deals with stem cell biology and immunology.

She completed a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Genetics at Adelaide University, then worked in medical research at Stanford University, California, before completing her PhD in 1981 at the Australian National University.

She became Professor and Head of the Stem Cell and Immunology Lab in the ANU Research School of Biology.

In 2015 Prof. O’Neill moved to the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine at Bond University to pursue research on hematopoietic, retinal and mesenchymal stem cells, and their application in regenerative medicine. 

In 2016 she was appointed Director of the Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, and in 2017 she was awarded the Cutmore Distinguished Professorship in Stem Cell Research. 

She holds an Emeritus Professorship at the ANU.

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