Dr Diana Mendez ~ Cohort Doctoral Studies Mentor

After completing the equivalent of a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the École Vétérinaire Nationale de Nantes in her native France, Dr Diana Mendez moved to Australia and furthered her studies at James Cook University (JCU) where she obtained a Master of Public Health (2009) and Doctor of Philosophy (2016). She has over 20 years of experience in research and has been involved in numerous projects investigating a range of topics across the animal and human health spectrum in the fields of public health, biosecurity, management of emerging infectious diseases and zoonoses, infectious diseases prevention and control, veterinary infection control and related workplace health and safety issues, wildlife health and One health. Her research experience has led her to gain skills in a variety of research methods: quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods; and data collection methods: experimental lab and field-based, animal health surveys, survey questionnaires, interviews, applied public health research methods (interventions and health promotion).

Since 2014, Diana has also been involved in undergraduate and post-graduate teaching of research methods as a tutor and guest lecturer. She currently coordinates two post-graduate research methods subjects and manages the everyday logistics of the Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate of Research Methods for the Division of Tropical Health and Medicine (DTHM) in collaboration with the College Associate Deans, Research Education and the course coordinator Dr Melissa Crowe.

Aside from her role as a supervisor to HDR candidates. Her broad research experience led her to be appointed as a Cohort Doctoral Studies Program mentor in August 2015. This Program is nested within the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) and is designed to provide additional support to practicing health professionals working in the broad areas of human and animal health and who are pursuing postgraduate research studies at JCU within Division of Tropical Health and Medicine. Through working in this position, Diana has been actively engaged in research capacity building and is involved in all aspects of the Program: facilitation of peer support, learning, candidate networking, research education and professional development workshops, writing retreats, student conferences and academic mentoring. Since 2015 Diana has been directly mentoring in excess of 65 HDR students and has facilitated workshops on the following topics: Data collection, Critical reviewing, Peer-review publishing, Mind mapping, Maintaining research integrity, Mixed methods research, Presenting data, Qualitative data analysis, Survey design, Formatting Thesis in Word and PDF, Writing a research proposal, Mentoring & Capacity building, Practical academic writing.

Teaching

• RM8301: Research Planning in Tropical Health and Medicine (Level 8; CNS & TSV)
• RM8302: Research Project in Tropical Health and Medicine (Level 8; CNS & TSV)

Interests

Research

• One Health, Infection Control, Infectious diseases, Emerging infectious diseases, Zoonoses, Public Health, Veterinary Public Health

Experience

• 2017 to present - Subject Coordinator Post-Grad RM8301 (Research Planning) RM8302 (Research Project), James Cook University (Townsville)
• 2015 to present - Cohort Doctoral Studies Porgram Mentor, James Cook University (Townsville)
• 2014 to 2017 - Post-Grad Tutor - Research Methodology Subjects (Epidemiology, Biostatistics), James Cook University (Townsville)
• 1999 to 2016 - Research Officer, James Cook University (Townsville)

Research Disciplines

• Public health (4206)
• Veterinary sciences (3009)

Awards

• 2018 - JCU Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning - as Member of the Cohort Doctoral Studies Program Team
• 2017 - Dean's Award for Research Higher Degree Excellence, for PhD Thesis
• 2009 - JCU Award for Excellence, as member of the Wildlife Biosecurity Group

Memberships

• 2002 - Golden Key International Honour Society

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Kophamel S, Illing B, Ariel E, Difalco M, Skerratt L, Hamann M, Ward L, Méndez D and Munns S (in press) Importance of health assessments for conservation in noncaptive wildlife. Conservation Biology, , DOI:10.1111/cobi.13724.
• Stevenson L, Allen T, Mendez D, Sellars D and Gould G (2020) Is open defaecation in outdoor recreation and camping areas a public health issue in Australia? A literature review. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 31 (3), pp. 525-532, DOI:10.1002/hpja.300.
• Taylor K, Thomas S, Mendez D, Chicken C, Carrick J, Heller J and Durrheim D (2020) "Prevention is the biggest success”: barriers and enablers to personal biosecurity in the thoroughbred breeding industry. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 183, Article: 105135, DOI:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.105135.
• Mendez D, Foyle L, Cobbold R and Speare R (2018) Survey of rabies vaccination status of Queensland veterinarians and veterinary students. Australian Veterinary Journal, 96 (5), pp. 155-160, DOI:10.1111/avj.12692.
• Mendez D, Büttner P, Kelly J, Nowak M and Speare R (2017) Difficulties experienced by veterinarians when communicating about emerging zoonotic risks with animal owners: the case of Hendra virus. BMC Veterinary Research, 13, Article: 56, pp. 1-12, DOI:10.1186/s12917-017-0970-2.
• Speare R, Mendez D, Judd J, Reid S, Tzipori S and Massey P (2015) Willingness to consult a veterinarian on physician's advice for zoonotic diseases: a formal role for veterinarians in medicine. PLoS ONE, 10 (8), Article: e0131406, pp. 1-8, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0131406.
• Mendez D, Buttner P and Speare R (2014) Hendra virus in Queensland, Australia, during the winter of 2011: veterinarians on the path to better management strategies. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 117 (1), pp. 40-51, DOI:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.08.002.
• Mendez D, Kelly J, Buttner P, Nowak M and Speare R (2014) Management of the slowly emerging zoonosis, Hendra virus, by private veterinarians in Queensland, Australia: a qualitative study. BMC Veterinary Research, 10, Article: 215, pp. 1-14, DOI:10.1186/s12917-014-0215-6.
• Mendez D, Büttner P and Speare R (2013) Response of Australian veterinarians to the announcement of a Hendra virus vaccine becoming available. Australian Veterinary Journal, 91 (8), pp. 328-331, DOI:10.1111/avj.12092.
• Mendez D, Judd J and Speare R (2013) Testing for Hendra virus: difficulties experienced by veterinarians in Queensland prior to 2011. Australian Veterinary Journal, 91 (8), pp. 323-327, DOI:10.1111/avj.12091.
• Mendez D, Judd J and Speare R (2012) Unexpected result of Hendra virus outbreaks for veterinarians, Queensland, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 18 (1), Article: 12, pp. 83-85, DOI:10.3201/eid1801.111006.
• Young S, Skerratt L, Mendez D, Speare R, Berger L and Steele M (2012) Using community surveillance data to differentiate between emerging and endemic amphibian diseases. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 98 (1), pp. 1-10, DOI:10.3354/dao02416.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 35+ research outputs authored by Dr Diana Mendez from 2003 onwards.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• An Exploration of the Role of Community and Recreational Activities on Mental Health to Frame a Model of Connectedness and Social Resilience in Tasmania (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Epidemiological profile of tuberculosis patients from the Torres Strait Islands, including Treaty visitors from Papua New Guinea to the Torres Strait Protected Zone (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Bioelectrical impedance analysis for adipose tissue estimation in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Physiotherapy for Patients with Persisting COVID-19 Complications: Development of a long Covid Rehabilitation Program (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Turtles and tourists without borders: assessing tourism management options for Australian sea turtles both sides of the border (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• The role of serotonin and glutathione in the pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis (2021, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Characterisation of ranaviral infection and its management in Australian lizards (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit Research Data Australia.

• Speare, R. (2015) Public's willingness to be referred to a veterinarian by their GP if they have a zoonotic disease. James Cook University

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.