Associate Professor Jill Keeffe OAM

Associate Professor Jill Keeffe OAM is Director of CERA's Population Health Division. This Division is a WHO Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness specialising in Low Vision and Health Services Research.

Associate Professor Keeffe began her research career with her PhD, “Assessment and Educational Implications of Common Causes of Low Vision in Children”. This unique study combined her training and experience as a teacher of children with impaired vision with that of a pediatric ophthalmologist to document the broad impact of impaired vision.

Associate Professor Keeffe’s post-doctoral research has taken her around the world, where she has shared her initiatives and knowledge with communities in Africa, South America, Asia and Pacific Nations. The outcome of her post-doctoral research was ‘The Low Vision Kit’, a cost effective low vision kit for use in developing countries, published by the World Health Organization and is available in 11 languages.

Associate Professor Keeffe is Co-Chair of World Health Organisation (WHO) Low Vision Working Group. This group have established a Resource Centre in Hong Kong to provide low cost low vision devices throughout the world and have developed curriculum for national leaders to establish low vision programs.

Associate Professor Keeffe also holds the position of First Vice-President of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), a global initiative seeking to provide education for all visually impaired people throughout the world. Further information about the ICEVI can be found at www.icevi.org

Associate Professor Keeffe describes her work as taking research from the bench and translating it into public health initiatives within Australia and developing countries.