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Ms Katie Ayling

Ms Katie Ayling

Research Associate

2021-2026 PhD, Wageningen University- Wageningen, The Netherlands

2013-2014 Master of Nutrition and Dietetics, The University of Sydney- Sydney, Australia

2011-2013 Bachelor of Science (Pharmacology & Physiology), The University of Sydney- Sydney, Australia

Medicine & Health
School of Clinical Medicine

I am a Research Associate with the Population Child Health research group at UNSW, where I focus on developing practical, evidence-based solutions to improve health outcomes for children in disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.

I completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Pharmacology and Physiology, followed by a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Sydney. I then spent over a decade working as a nutrition expert in the food industry, primarily at Nestlé and FrieslandCampina, gaining extensive experience in nutrition research and product development support across roles based in the UK, Kenya, and Côte d'Ivoire. This international experience sparked a lasting interest in the nutritional and health needs of populations in sub-Saharan Africa, and I became increasingly involved in research activities in the region, including designing and implementing a cross-sectional dietary intake study in Côte d'Ivoire.

Seeking to combine this practical experience with rigorous academic research, I completed a PhD as an external candidate at Wageningen University & Research. My doctoral research investigated multi-micronutrient fortification of dairy products to address nutritional deficiencies in sub-Saharan Africa, evaluating its impact through a randomised controlled school-feeding trial in Nigeria. Alongside this research, I supervised MSc thesis students and presented my work at national and international scientific conferences.

 
Phone
+61-2-9348-3430
Location
Building C29 HTH Level 3 North 55 Botany St Kensington NSW 2033   

  • Design, implementation, and evaluation of intervention-based and mixed-methods health service utilisation studies
  • Preparation and submission of ethics applications for health service research projects
  • Development of grant proposals to support competitive funding applications
  • Project management and stakeholder engagement across the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network (SCHN), Local Health Districts, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Children's Healthcare Australasia (CHA), Primary Health Networks (PHNs), NGOs, and academic partners
  • Provision of statistical and epidemiological support across multidisciplinary research projects, with a focus on increasing high-impact publication outputs
  • Analysis of cohort and trial-related data using R, managing large and complex datasets to inform robust research outcomes
  • Dissemination of research findings through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences
  • Supervision and mentoring of postgraduate students