Blesson Varghese

Blesson Varghese

School of Public Health

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Blesson Varghese is an early career researcher in the field of public health. He is an epidemiologist with specific interests in environmental and occupational health. Blesson has a background in Health Science (Public Health) with First Class Honours and recently a PhD within the School of Public Health at the University of Adelaide.

His PhD project titled "Worker's Health and Safety at High Temperatures: new perspectives on injury prevention", part of a multi-institutional Australian Research Council (ARC) grant examined the impacts of extreme heat on work-related injuries in Australia.

His research interests include work-related injury epidemiology and prevention, climate change, workplace heat exposure, and infectious diseases. He has extensive experience conducting research using large administrative surveillance datasets and surveys.

His recently completed work at the Bureau of Meteorology examined the correlations between demographic profiles, dwelling profiles, existing health risks factors, and the human health impacts of heatwaves. Currently he is part of a team led by Professor Peng Bi examining the burden of disease of climate-sensitive or heat-attributable diseases and injuries in Australia.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2021 - ongoing Senior Project Officer Wellbeing SA
    2020 - 2021 ARC Grant-Funded Researcher (A) The University of Adelaide
    2020 - 2020 Epidemiologist Australian Bureau of Meteorology
    2019 - 2021 Research Assistant Omega Consulting Engineers
    2019 - 2020 APR Intern Epidemiologist Bureau of Meteorology (Australia)
    2019 - 2019 Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2018 - 2018 Research Assistant The University of Adelaide
    2017 - 2017 Marker: HLTH SC 2105 - Reflect. Research. Resolve Questions in Health The University of Adelaide
    2016 - 2016 Marker: MEDIC ST 1000B First Year MBBS Examination Part 2 The University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2013 Intern, Communicable Disease Control Branch SA Health
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2021 Award Travel Award International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) Australia -
    2021 Honour Mace Bearer, Graduation Ceremony University of Adelaide Australia -
    2020 Award Eric Wigglesworth OHS Education Medal Australian Institute of Health & Safety Australia -
    2020 Nomination 2020 CAPHIA PhD Excellence in Public Health (Nominated) Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia Australia -
    2020 Achievement Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Research Thesis Excellence The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2020 Nomination Safety 2020 Young Investigator Award (Nominated) MDPI Switzerland -
    2020 Nomination IJERPH 2020 Young Investigator Award (Nominated) MDPI Switzerland -
    2020 Recognition Early Achievers Leaderboard Rising Stars The Australian Australia -
    2020 Research Award Doctoral Research Medal University of Adelaide Australia -
    2020 Nomination Early Career/Young Professional Award Finalist Australian Public Health Conference Australia -
    2020 Award Kerry Kirke Student Award Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) SA Branch Australia -
    2020 Award Travel Award International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) Australia -
    2019 Scholarship Australian Postgraduate Research Intern (APR. Intern) Stipend University of Adelaide Australia -
    2019 Scholarship Philip Ryan Doctoral Candidate Travel Grant University of Adelaide Australia -
    2019 Scholarship Walter and Dorothy Duncan Trust Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Award People's Choice Award for Best Presentation Australasian Epidemiological Association (AEA) Australia One year AEA membership
    2018 Award 2018 AEA STUDENT AWARD Australasian Epidemiological Association Australia $500
    2018 Award 2018 Florey Postgraduate Research Conference School of Public Health Poster Prize The University of Adelaide Australia $300
    2018 Award Global Learning Travel Grant The University of Adelaide Australia $500
    2018 Award 2018 Graduate Women SA Centenary Bursaries The Australian Federation of University Women – SA Inc. Trust Australia $ 3000
    2018 Scholarship Climate Adaptation 2018 Post-Graduate Student Travel and Registration Scholarship National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) Australia $2000
    2018 Recognition Special Mention for Presentation 2018 SA Population Health Conference Australia -
    2017 Award 2017 Florey Postgraduate Research Conference School of Public Health Poster Prize The University of Adelaide Australia $300
    2017 Nomination Shortlisted for Research & Business Partnerships Prize for Impact, Engagement and Translation University of Adelaide Australia -
    2016 Scholarship Faculty of Health Sciences Divisional Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia -
    2014 Award Coles Caring and Compassionate Award Coles - Port Adelaide Australia -
    2013 Award Dean's Certificate of Merit The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2013 Award Golden Key Award for Academic Merit Golden Key International Honour Society Australia -
    2013 Award Coles Monthly Team Member Award Coles - Port Adelaide Australia -
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    Hindi Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
    Malayalam Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2016 - 2020 University of Adelaide Australia PhD in Medicine
    2014 - 2014 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health Science, BhlthSc (Honours) in Public Health and General Practice
    2011 - 2013 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health Science, BhlthSc ( Majors in Public Health and Pathology)
  • Research Interests

Faculty of Health Science, Divisional Scholarship

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Health assessment due to heat exposure among the Australian working-age populations: current risks and future projections Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yannan Li
    2022 Co-Supervisor Climate Change and Burden of Disease in Australia: Current Attributable Risk and Future Burden Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yohannes Tefera Damtew
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Burden of non-communicable diseases attributable to high temperature in Australia: current and future projections in a changing climate Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jingwen Liu
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - ongoing Principal Supervisor High temperatures, heatwaves and road crashes in South Australia University of Adelaide Master of Public Health (MPH) Master - Yannan Li
    2020 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Heat-related diseases and burden of disease in Australia University of Adelaide Master of Public Health (MPH) Master - Clare Faurie
    2020 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Hand, foot, and mouth disease and weather The University of Adelaide Master of Public Health (MPH) Master Full Time Tianyu Song
    2020 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Diarrhoea and weather The University of Adelaide Master of Public Health (MPH) Master Full Time Jiawei Liang
  • Mentoring

    Date Topic Location Name
    2020 - ongoing The impact of climate-sensitive communicable diseases in Australia: current attributable risk and future burden due to temperature exposure University of Adelaide Yohannes Damtew
    2019 - ongoing Occupational injuries and hot weather: a spatial-temporal risk analysis in Australia University of Adelaide Syeda Hira Fathima
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2021 - 2021 Member Early Career Academic and Postgraduate Sub-committee (ECAPS) Council Of Academic Public Health Institutions Australia (CAPHIA) Australia
    2020 - ongoing Member Early Career Researcher Initiative (ECRI) Advisory Panel Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) United States
    2020 - 2021 Member School of Public Health (SPH) Research Committee The University of Adelaide Australia
    2019 - 2019 Member State Member - National Conference Advisory Committee Public Health Association of Australia Australia
    2019 - ongoing Member Young researcher member - ICOH 2022 National Scientific Committee (NSC) ICOH - International Commission on Occupational Health Australia
    2018 - 2019 Member SA Branch Committee The Public Health Association of Australia Inc (SA Branch) Australia
    2018 - 2019 Member Health Sciences Postgraduate Student (HeSPA) Committee The University of Adelaide Australia
    2018 - 2019 Representative School of Public Health (SPH) Research Committee The University of Adelaide Australia
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2020 - ongoing Member International Epidemiological Association (IEA) United States
    2018 - ongoing Member Statistical Society of Australia Australia
    2018 - ongoing Member International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) United States
    2018 - ongoing Member Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) -
    2017 - ongoing Member Australasian Epidemiological Association Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Environmental Health Australia Australia
    2013 - ongoing Member Golden Key International Honours Society Australia
  • Offices Held

    Date Office Name Institution Country
    2018 - 2019 School of Public Health Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Student Representative The University of Adelaide Australia
    2018 - 2018 School of Public Health Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Student Representative (Acting) The University of Adelaide Australia
    2017 - 2018 School of Public Health Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Deputy Student Representative The University of Adelaide Australia
  • Presentation

    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2018 - 2018 Heat and Work Injury: Quantitative Evidence National Heat and Work Injury Workshop The University of Adelaide Australia
    2018 - 2018 The effect of daily maximum temperature and heatwaves on worker injury risks Data Analysis Group SA HEALTH Australia
  • Review, Assessment, Editorial and Advice

    Date Title Type Institution Country
    2020 - ongoing 14th World Conference on Injury Prevention & Safety Promotion (Safety 2020) Conference Review Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) -
    2020 - ongoing International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) 2020 Conference Conference Review International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) -
    2020 - ongoing 17th National Immunisation Conference 2020 Conference Review Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) -
    2020 - ongoing World Congress of Epidemiology 2020 Conference Review International Epidemiological Association (IEA) -
    2020 - ongoing Preventive Health Conference 2020 Conference Review Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) -
    2019 - ongoing Communicable Diseases Control Conference 2019 Conference Review Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) -
    2018 - ongoing AEA 2018 Conference abstracts Conference Review Australasian Epidemiological Association Australia
    2018 - ongoing The Food Futures Conference 2018 Abstracts Conference Review Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) Australia

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