Cindy Stern

Dr Cindy Stern

Grant-Funded Researcher (C)

School of Public Health

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

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


Dr Cindy Stern is a Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Synthesis Science program of JBI situated in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. She has actively contributed to the field of evidence-based health care for over two decades, largely in the area of evidence synthesis and methodology. Dr Stern is an experienced researcher having been involved in the conduct of diverse types of systematic reviews and evidence syntheses related to health and has been involved in numerous consultancy projects for organisations such as the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Griffith University, the Minderoo Foundation, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the National Health and Medical Research Council. She currently sits on numerous advisory boards including the Evidence Synthesis Taxonomy Initiative and the Australian National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWs) Evidence Portal Initiative.

Dr Stern is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of JBI Evidence Synthesis, an international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary health care journal that publishes reviews that follow methodology and methods developed by JBI. She also regularly peer reviews for other scholarly journals across the globe and is a member of the Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE). As such, she is interested in the science of publishing practices to improve the quality of scholarly research, known as Journalology.

Dr Stern is co-convenor of the JBI Mixed Methods Methodology Group, co-chair of the JBI Languages other than English Working Group, member of the JBI Adelaide GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Centre, and the JBI Predatory Publishing Practices Group; all of which are international groups that focus on enhancing the rigour and conduct of systematic reviews. She is also a product owner of JBI SUMARI, software used to conduct systematic reviews.

Dr Stern is a certified trainer for the JBI Comprehensive Systematic Review Training Program and Scoping Review Workshop and a member of the International Trainers Network. She has also supervised numerous postgraduate students at Masters and PhD level.

Aside from the focus on methodology and synthesis, her research interests relate to aged care and the use of animals to enhance health and wellbeing.

Projects available to Honours and HDR students

Mixed Methods Systematic Review Methodology

Systematic reviews aim to provide a comprehensive, unbiased synthesis of relevant evidence using rigorous and transparent methods. Mixed methods reviews are reviews that contains both qualitative and quantitative evidence. Various opportunities exist to explore and enhance this methodology including but not limited to:

o   Evaluation of the application of current mixed methods guidance via the conduct of a user survey

o   Examining adherence to conduct guidance for mixed method systematic reviews

o   Scoping review of appraisal tools used for primary mixed method studies

o   Systematic review on barriers and enablers to implementation of pressure injury prevention in hospitalized adults utilising the mixed methods methodology

Journalology

Journalology relates to the science of publication practices and the activities and processes that aim to improve the quality of scholarly research. This includes aspects such as publication ethics, reporting guidance and adherence and peer review practices.

o   Various project opportunities exist utilising a large data set of published systematic and scoping reviews and protocols to measure and report on aspects related to methodologies, methods and publishing

o   Cross-sectional analysis of peer review practices in evidence syntheses

Software to support systematic reviews/evidence synthesis

Systematic reviews/evidence syntheses are an important part of providing care and treatment based on the best available evidence however they can be labour intensive and take many months to complete. To make the process easier, there are software tools available that help with various stages of the synthesis process, including those using artificial intelligence. Various opportunities exist to explore these tools within the realm of evidence synthesis including but not limited to:

o   Usability survey of systematic review software

o   Comparative analysis of tools and resources used in evidence synthesis

o   Investigation into the role of automation in assisting systematic reviews

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2018 - ongoing Senior Research Fellow - Synthesis Science Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
    2016 - ongoing Senior Associate Editor, JBI Evidence Synthesis JBI
    2015 - 2017 Senior Research Fellow - Transfer Science JBI
    2013 - 2014 Senior Research Fellow - Communication Science JBI
    2010 - 2013 Research Fellow - Communication Science JBI
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    University of Adelaide Australia B HSc (Hons)
    University of Adelaide Australia PhD
  • Research Interests

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

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Effectiveness and safety of enhanced postoperative care units for non-cardiac surgery Master of Philosophy (Clinical Science) Master Full Time Dr Liem Tran
    2022 Principal Supervisor Qualitative systematic review of perspectives of elderly people (over 65) with non-organic hoarding behaviour. Master of Clinical Science Master Part Time Dr Jonathan Andrew Fry
    2019 Principal Supervisor Patients Access to Psychosocial Supports in Rural Areas After Sustaining a Spinal Cord Injury Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Ms Georgina Elizabeth Wire
    2017 Principal Supervisor The measurement of fatigue within occupational settings Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Stephen John Walters
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Accuracy of Imaging Modalities for Detecting Extracapsular Spread of Cervical Lymph Node Metastases in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Systematic Review Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Dr Tristan John Morey
    2018 - 2019 Principal Supervisor The effectiveness and harms of pharmacological interventions for the treatment of delirium in adults admitted into the intensive care unit after cardiac surgery: a systematic review Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Ms Vivienne Margaret Leigh
    2018 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Caregivers' and healthcare workers' experiences in the management of childhood pneumonia in low-and lower-middle-income countries: a systematic review of qualitative evidence Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Mrs Sylvia John
    2018 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Experiences of learning, development and preparedness for clinical practice among undergraduate paramedicine students, graduate/intern paramedics and their preceptors: a qualitative systematic review Master of Clinical Science Master Part Time Mr Hilding Hanna
    2017 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Experiences of Parents and Carers Managing Asthma in Children Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Ms Robyn Jane Fawcett
    2015 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Effectiveness of Mifamurtide in Addition to Standard Chemotherapy for High-grade Osteosarcoma: A Systematic Review Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Mrs Rincy Jimmy .
    2015 - 2016 Co-Supervisor The Effectiveness of Allied Health Therapy in the Symptomatic Management of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Systematic Review Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Erica Tilley
    2013 - 2014 Co-Supervisor The Experiences of Aboriginal Health Workers and Non Aboriginal Health Professionals Working Collaboratively in the Delivery of Health Care to Aboriginal Australians: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Ms Carmel Anne Mercer
    2013 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Postoperative Mortality for Elderly Patients Undergoing Elective Colorectal Surgery: A Systematic Review Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Dr Joanna Rae Sutherland
    2013 - 2016 Principal Supervisor The Measurement of Collaboration within Healthcare Settings Master of Clinical Science Master Full Time Mr Stephen John Walters
  • Position: Grant-Funded Researcher (C)
  • Phone: 83136380
  • Email: cindy.stern@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: Womens & Childrens Hospital
  • Building: WCH - Norwich Centre, floor 3
  • Org Unit: JBI

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