Royal Society of Tasmania Doctoral Award Awarded to TILES Research Higher Degree Graduate, Dr Rhondda Waterworth

TILES Research Higher Degree Graduate, Dr Rhondda Waterworth has been awarded one of two Royal Society of Tasmania Doctoral Awards for 2021.

Dr Waterworth recently gained her PhD by publication in Law from the University of Tasmania. Her thesis was titled ‘Improving therapeutic outcomes for defendants: measuring the therapeutic contributions of legal actors’ and reviewed opportunities of diversion to mental health and other services, and mainstreaming therapeutic jurisprudence principles in the magistrates criminal courts.

The Royal Society of Tasmania Doctoral Award is an outstanding achievement and an acknowledgement of the value of Dr Waterworth’s work. The President of the Royal Society of Tasmania, Mary Koolhof, stated there was there was a very strong field of excellent nominations.

The significance of Dr Waterworth’s work has also been recognised by the republication of one of her articles by the New South Wales Judicial Commission in the Handbook for Judicial Officers (NSW). The Handbook provides practical guidance to judicial officers in undertaking their core functions of presiding over a court, decision-making, and judgment-writing. Publication of Dr Waterworth’s work in the Handbook makes her work immediately available to the key audience whom it was intended to advise. It is primary evidence of the critical impact of her work.

Her supervisors, Adjunct Associate Professor Terese Henning (Law), Associate Professor Isabelle Bartkowiak-Théron (Social Sciences and TILES), Professor Kimberley Norris and Professor Mandy Matthewson (Psychological Sciences) could not be prouder of her success. Dr Waterworth was an outstanding student, overcoming many obstacles during her PhD candidature.

The Doctoral Award comprises a $1000 prize and a certificate. These are presented at a formal Society meeting in 2022, when Dr Waterworth will be invited to deliver a lecture about her doctoral research.

The Royal Society of Tasmania was founded in 1843 and its mission is the advancement of knowledge. The Society promotes Tasmanian historical, scientific and technological knowledge for the benefit of Tasmanians, and fosters public engagement and participation.

TILES congratulates Dr Waterworth for this well-earned award.