Rotary Foundation Global Grant Scholar
Annika Theodoulou.
It is with great pleasure that I introduce District 9510’s Global Grant scholar, Annika Theodoulou. With the support of our District, Annika will undertake a Doctor of Philosophy in Evidenced-based Healthcare at the University of Oxford.
Growing-up in Adelaide, Annika attended Unley High School alongside her twin sister, Effie, before moving on to study a Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide. Majoring in Pharmacology and Psychology, Annika was awarded for achieving the highest mark for each major and, in addition, received the Dean’s Certificate of Merit. During her studies, Annika held a keen interest in sport, particularly volleyball. She served as a committee member for the Adelaide University Volleyball Club and went on to captain the Women’s Division 1 team, in 2018.
Annika began her research career as a research assistant for a small, non-for-profit musculoskeletal research institute in Adelaide. Over the five years in this role, she gained substantial research experience in conducting clinical trials and leading systematic reviews, and contributed thirteen publications to the scientific literature.
During her doctorate, Annika proposes to draw on her educational background and work experience in systematic reviewing to undertake a body of research which aims to improve health through behaviour change. This work will generate new evidence to better inform doctors, patients and policy-makers, with the aim to improve the prevention and treatment of non-communicable disease.
For recreation, Annika likes to live an active lifestyle and is an avid cook; a trait which seems to stem from her Greek/Cypriot heritage. Annika’s interest in food, behavioural research and evidence synthesis led to her current role as a Systematic Reviewer at the University of Oxford. Annika contributes to high-impact evidence syntheses on smoking cessation interventions, and weight management and obesity.
Rotary Foundation Global Scholarships allow very talented and committed people such as Annika to focus their learning on a specific area of need that is expressed in the lives of so many people living in impoverished circumstances. The resources we apply to Scholarship Students are multiplied many times when these scholars make changes to the living conditions of needy people. This outcome represents excellent value for achieving Rotary goals.
Co-authors Annika and Rotarian Sam Cozens, Chair of District 9510 Foundation Scholarships/VTT.