Global Public Health; Health Education and Promotion; Health services; Health behavior, Non-communicable disease prevention and control; Migration and health

Monash University, Melbourne Australia

Mahidol University, Bangkok Thailand

Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal

Purbanchal Unviersity, Kathmandu Nepal

Monash University, Melbourne Australia

BRAC University, Dhaka Bangladesh

Western Sydney University, Sydney Australia

CQUniversity, Syendy Campus, Sydney Australia

Awards and Fellowships

· Mid Career Research Fellow, Fellowship offered by Central Queensland University, Australia 2019 - 2020

· International Research Fellow, Fellowship offered by Centre of Excellence for Universal Health Coverage, icddr,b and BRAC University, Bangladesh. Original funded from Rockefeller Foundation 2013 - 2014

· Doctoral Research Fellowship at Monash University, Melbourne Australia: Monash International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (MIPS) and Monash Graduate Research Scholarships 2009 to 2013

· Postgraduate Study Scholarship, originally funded from the National Institute of Health, US, to pursue Master of International Research Bioethics (MIRB) at Monash University, Melbourne Australia, 2007/ 08

· Global Leadership Award for Tobacco Control, by Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, US, 2015

Teaching and research involvement/ roles

Year 2024

.     Coordinator & Teaching: Non-communicable Diseases, PBHL29003, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching –Global Public Health PBHL20005, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

.     Teaching: Social Innovation and Health: Human Centred Design Thinking, PBHL29001, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching: Epidemiology and Statistics, PBHL2003, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

Year 2024

·     Coordinator/ teaching –Global Public Health PBHL20005, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

.     Teaching: Social Innovation and Health: Human Centred Design Thinking, PBHL29001, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching: Health and Wellbeing in Cross-cultural community, PBHL2009, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

.     Teaching: Public Health Practice in Cross-cultural community, PBHL2010, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

Year 2023

·     Coordinator/ teaching –Global Public Health PBHL20005, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching – Cultural Immersion and Lived Experiences, PBHL20007, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching: Systems Thinking in Public Health PBHL20002, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching: Participatory Health Research PBHL20006, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

Year 2022

·     Coordinator/ teaching–Global Public Health PBHL20005, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Lecturer and Supervisor - Public Health Project Work 2 PBHL20013 and Public Health Project report PBHL20014, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching – Cultural Immersion and Lived Experiences, PBHL20007, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching – Working and Learning in Cross Cultural Environment, PBHL20009, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Collage of Science and Sustainability, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching: Participatory Health Research PBHL20006, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

Year 2020/21

·     Coordinator/ teaching –Global Public Health PBHL20005, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Coordinator –Social Epidemiology PBHL20003, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Lecturer and Supervisor – Public Health Project Proposal PBHL20011 and Public Health Project Work 1 PBHL20012, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Lecturer and Supervisor - Public Health Project Work 2 PBHL20013 and Public Health Project report PBHL20014, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

Year 2019

·     Coordinator –Social Epidemiology PBHL20003, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Teaching: Systems Thinking in Public Health PBHL20002, Master of Public Health, at School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

·     Co-coordinator - Public Health Responses in Complex Emergencies 102574, Master of Humanitarian and Development Studies, at School of Social Science and Psychology, Western Sydney University 

·     Teaching - Health Workforce Planning, 400843, Master of Health Science program, at School of Sciences and Health, Campbelltown and Paramatta Campuses, Western Sydney University

·     Teaching - Global Perspective on the Social Determinants of Health, 400841, Master of Health Science program, at School of Sciences and Health, Campbelltown and Paramatta Campuses, Western Sydney University

·     Teaching- Population Health and Society, 400870, Undergraduate health science program, at School of Science and Health, Campbelltown Campus, Western Sydney University.

Year 2018

·     Coordinator and Lecturer - Health Advancement and Health Promotion, 400418, Master of Health Science program, at School of Science and Health, Campbelltown and Paramatta Campuses, Western Sydney University.

Teaching - Foundation of research and Evidence base practice, 400863, Undergraduate health science program, at School of Science and Health, Campbelltown and Paramatta Campuses, Western Sydney University

Summary of the professional experiences

Present: Public Health Lecturer, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

July 2019 to June 2023: Sr. Lecturer-Public Health, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Sydney Campus

May 2018 – June 2019: Academic (Casual), School of Science and Health and School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney

Aug 2018 – June 2019: Multi-site Research Coordinator, School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney

Jan 2017 – April 2018: Research Advisor and Consultant, Health Systems and NCDs prevention & Control, HERD International, Kathmandu Nepal

April 2014 - Nov 2016: Senior Associate, Research, Health Systems and Population Studies Division, icddr,b, Bangladesh

Jan 2015 - Jan 2017: Adj. Faculty, James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Bangladesh (Honorary Position)

May 2013 - April 2014: International Fellow, CoE for Universal Health Coverage, Centre for Equity and Health Systems, icddr,b, Bangladesh

May 2009 – Dec 2012: Doctoral Fellow, Tutor/ Sessional Teacher and Research Assistant, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Melbourne Australia

Nov. 2008 – April 2009: Sr. Lecturer (Public Health), Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS), Purbanchal University, Nepal

April 2006 – Oct. 2008: Coordinator, International Relations and Research Division, Nepal Institute of Health Sciences, Purbanchal University, Kathmandu, Nepal

April 2005 – Oct 2008: Lecturer (Public Health), Department of Public Health, Nepal Institute of Health Sciences, Purbanchal University, Nepal

Feb. 2003 – March 2004: Research and Development Officer, Development Resource Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal

June 1998 – April 2001: Ophthalmology Assistant/ Health Promotion Supervisor, Nepal Red Cross Society, Community Eye Care and Health Promotion Program (CEHP), Nepalgunj, Nepal

Nov. 1995 – May 1998: Technical Assistant, Mid-Western Regional Eye Care Centre, Fatteh Bal Eye Hospital, Nepalgunj, Nepal

1993-1995: Auxiliary Health Worker, District Hospital, Jumla, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal

2006 to present: Technical Advisor, Women Welfare Society, Jumla, Nepal (Honorary and unpaid position

·     Member, Physical Activity Research Group, Appleton Institute, CQU

·     Member of NSW, Cardiovascular Research Network, 2021-present

.     Member of the Global Alliance for Chronic Disease (GACD), 2019-present

.     Mentorship for the first-time Women authors in the field of Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR), co-managed by the Health Systems Global and Alliance for HPSR.

·     Member of the Health Workforce Action Initiatives (HWAI), 2013 to present

·     Nepal Health Professional Council (Public Health Professional), 2005 to present

·     Nepal Public Health Association, 2005 to present

·     Nepal Red Cross Society, 2001 to present

.      Executive member of the KIRDARC, Nepal 2019-2021. The national NGO, Nepal

·     Early Career Researchers, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia

·     Early Career Network, Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health, 2006 to present

While I have been a member of Physical Activity Research Group, Appleton Institute, CQU, my responsibilities to the group are to contribute to developing collaborative research project, provide mentorship to early career researchers, HDR supervision and academic and professional exchange, which I have been able to deliver effectively. On top of that, I have been able to receive mentorship and guidance from the Team leader of the PA Research group. 

NSW CVRN is another research network, where I have been a member. My role in this network is to contribute to knowledge and experience exchange, provide scientific inputs to ongoing and newly developed research projects, offer analytical knowledge/ expertise to data access and analyses, and attend regular/ ongoing scheduled meetings. 

My affiliation with Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD), an umbrella research network where over 14 countries are associated, has been focused on providing expertise in terms of project development, Review of competative research grants, knowledge sharing, mentorship and strengthen research collaborations, which I have been able to maintain effectively. 

While I was associated with the Mentorship program for first time women authors program by Health Systems research, my role was to provide supervision and guidance to developing a manuscript by the early career women researcher. I was able to provide such support effectively and our paper was published in the peer reviewed international journal (Health Policy and Planning) : https://academic.oup.com/heapol/article/35/Supplement_1/i38/5960436

I am also a member of the Global Health Workforce Alliance, where I was able to contribute substantially in developing Global Health Workforce Strategy 2018/19. I was also able to contribute in developing Health Workforce Strategy for Bangladesh 2017/18.

My affiliation with other professional bodies has been focused on providing voluntary expertise in terms of project development, evaluation of the projects, mentorship, capacity building, governance and leadership etc. 

Over the past several years, Lal’s research and academic works have impacted in developing guidelines and policy documents, that have played crucial roles in formulating and revising policies and guidelines and improving health service deliveries. More specifically, Lal’s research in Nepal developed guidelines for lifestyle management for people with type 2 diabetes. The guidelines were used to implement the intervention, which used randomized controlled trial. The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Nepal was a partner of the intervention and recommendations are made to scale up the use of guidelines to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes in Nepal. 

As part of the ongoing project in Nepal, Lal co-led a project developing an educational/ health promotion material for oral health and diabetes, which was endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) Nepal and is being used in the health facilities in Nepal. 

In 2018, Lal co-led a project and monograph on Engaging Community Health Workers for NCDs in countries of South and Southeast Asia, which was funded by WHO. Further, in 2020/21, Lal co-led a project and monograph/ report on Integrating Tuberculosis and Diabetes services in primary health care in south and southeast Asian countries. 

Back in 2016, Lal contributed (as a lead) in developing guidelines and handbook for maternal, child health and nutrition, for BRAC Bangladesh, the largest NGO worldwide serving over 120 million population. The guidelines are currently being used by BRAC Bangladesh in their routine population and health programs in the efforts of improving health of women, neonates, children and overall population in Bangladesh. 

Lal’s research works on “retaining health workers in rural Bangladesh, a policy analyses” plus a publication published in international peer reviewed journal “Developing effective policy strategies to retain health workers in rural Bangladesh: a policy analysis” substantially contributed to policy incorporation when Bangladesh government developed Health Workforce Strategy in 2017/18. 

Over the past over 12 years of Lal’s active research and academic career, Lal has published over 180 peer reviewed research articles, and seven book chapters/ monographs that have been cited over 52482 times (available at: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=peuw9tYAAAAJ&hl=en, h index 55 and i10 index 105). Also, Lal has written over 35 project reports submitted to international organizations, UN agencies, universities and ministries.

Advance level of knowledge and skills on MS Word, Excel, Power point

High level of knowledge and skills for data management including tools development, data collection, entry, cleaning and analyses using different statistical packages including SPSS and STATA.

Complex analyses skills including statistical modellings using STATA and SPSPS.

a. Associate Editor for BMC Public Health: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/about/editorial-board   ; 2020 to present

b. Associate Editor for Frontiers in Digital health; 2022 to present

c. Advisory board member, Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences:  https://www.europasianjournals.org/ejms/index.php/europasian/about/editorialTeam  ; 2022 to present

d. International Editor of Thai Journal of Public Health; 2020 to 2022

e. Academic Collaborator of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) group, administered by the Institute of Health and Metrics (IHME), US;   2020 to present