Biomedical researcher & lecturer, senior university manager, and strategic project leader.
Gayle Smythe
BSc(Hons), PhD
Areas of Expertise
Research and university project design, implementation and management
Research analytics, ERA and EI strategy and support
Academic & research writing, editing & proofreading
Academic and research career coaching, & job application support
Experience
Partner & Senior Consultant, With Distinction
(2018 – present)
Managing partner and lead consultant in all With Distinction services.
Strategic Project Officer (Research), Charles Sturt University
(2017 – 2020)
Managed strategic projects and reporting on HDR training, research integrity, HDR course compliance with the Australian Qualifications Framework, and research and training performance against the TEQSA threshold standards.
Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University
(2012 – 2017)
Managed research strategy, reporting, KPI analysis, budget, and training (2012-2016), and line management of Sub-Dean (Graduate Studies) from 2016-2017. The role spanned community health, nursing & midwifery, nutrition, dentistry & oral health, biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, agricultural & wine sciences, environmental science, and animal & veterinary sciences. I co-ordinated ERA coding and descriptors for science and health FoR codes across multiple Faculties, Schools and Centres/Institute and developed EIA pilot case studies. From 2012-2016 this role included Honours and HDR management (a Sub-Dean position was created in 2016).
This role included substantial general duties to support the Executive Dean, and I managed all aspects of recruitment to over 50 academic positions.
Acting Head of School (Community Health), Charles Sturt University
(2010 – 2012)
Total of 18 months holding full Head of School responsibilities, including managing over 50 staff across 3 campuses, implementing new courses and campus establishment, workforce planning, budget management, workload allocation and management, and all school operations and compliance.
Senior Lecturer (Biomedical Science), Charles Sturt University
(200- 2012)
Continued muscle biology research program and teaching in anatomy and physiology; undertook significant committee leadership and management roles, and Associate Head of School (2011-2012).
Lecturer (Biomedical Science), Charles Sturt University
(2005 – 2012)
Continued muscle biology research program and taught allied health students human anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology.
NHMRC Howard Florey Centenary Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University
(2003 – 2005)
Researched biochemical mechanisms underlying muscle degeneration in muscular dystrophies.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Neurology & Neurological Sciences), Stanford University
(2001 – 2003)
Researched biochemical mechanisms underlying muscle degeneration in caveolin-3-deficient limb girdle muscular dystrophy (type 1C).
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Western Australia
(1998 – 2000)
Researched cellular aspects of skeletal muscle regeneration following injury and cell- and virus-mediated therapies for dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy.
With Distinction Research, Academic & Career Consultants 