A rising star at Mater Research has been awarded a highly competitive 2026 Emerging Leaders Fellowship Scholarship from the Women’s Health Research, Translation and Impact Network (WHRTN) to support her leadership development.
The scholarship program, which recognises researchers who are leading the way in their respective fields, was awarded to Dr Katie Brooker, who leads research at Mater’s Queensland Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability and Autism Health (QCEIDAH).
QCEIDAH is an integrated service that provides clinical care, research, and health system capacity building to improve the health and wellbeing of people with intellectual disability and autistic people. Dr Brooker’s research focuses on transforming health service provision and translating evidence into meaningful improvements in care across preventive, primary, and hospital settings.
Dedicated to inclusive research practices, Dr Brooker ensures her work is co-designed alongside people with lived experience.
“This means that people with intellectual disability and autistic people shape research from early conceptualisation through to implementation,” Dr Brooker said.
Her commitment to co-design has been recognised globally, including receiving the Wiley Research Hero award. She has successfully built a network of lived-experience advocates who collaborate closely with her team and independently use her research to drive systemic change—most notably advocating for the inclusion of intellectual disability and autism education for hospital staff.
With her research team rapidly expanding from five to fifteen members over the past two years, Dr Brooker plans to use the scholarship to intentionally strengthen her leadership capabilities.
She said she was looking forward to taking part in the program, hoping it would provide the structured development, mentorship and reflective space she needs to lead with confidence and clarity.
“I am particularly motivated to build skills in navigating change, engaging individuals with varying strengths, and addressing imposter syndrome,” she said.
“I aim to further strengthen the culture and capability of my team, preserving the supportive, empowering, and values-driven environment that champions responsible conduct, innovation, and the genuine involvement of people with lived experience."
Mater Research Executive Director Professor Allison Pettit congratulated Dr Brooker on the milestone.
“Katie’s work at Mater Research is truly transformative for people with intellectual disability and autistic people,” Professor Pettit said. “Congratulations on this excellent achievement!”
