Oral history: Professor Fiona Stanley

Professor Fiona Stanley (1946– ) is an Australian paediatrician and epidemiologist best known for her work linking folic acid deficiencies during pregnancy with birth defects, specifically spina bifida and related conditions.

Module The use and influence of science

Year 9 Science

About Finona Stanley

After working as a paediatrician in Perth, Stanley visited regional and remote communities across Western Australia. These visits sparked her interest in using epidemiology to understand the impact of people’s living and working conditions, diet, exercise, and recreation on their health, as well as how this data can predict health outcomes.

Throughout her career, Stanley has focused on using population data to deliver significant health, social, and economic benefits to communities.

photo of a woman standing against a purple background

Philip Gostelow, Professor Fiona Stanley at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Subiaco, Perth, 21 August 2013, 2013, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-153312966

Listen to Professor Fiona Stanley

Professor Fiona Stanely discusses her early life and family. She talks about her father, who was one of Australia's first virologists.

Professor Fiona Stanley reflects on her education and her time at university in the 1960s. She talks about the impact university life can take a toll on a persons confidence, emotional, and social development.

Professor Fiona Stanley discusses the Busselton Survey, one of the longest running surveys documenting the health data of an entire population.

Professor Fiona Stanley discusses her work in epidemiology

Professor Fiona Stanley talks about her part in uncovering the link between folate and birth defects and the success of the study

Learning activities

Activity 1: Explore the influence of family background on science

Fiona Stanley’s father was one of Australia’s first virologists, and her grandfather was a government scientist in Papua New Guinea. She says she ‘always had this wonderful sense from my father and my grandfather of a quest for knowledge’. Discuss:

How might a person’s family background or upbringing shape their attitude toward science?

Activity 2: Discuss the challenges of school life

Stanley talks about her life at university and the struggles she faced socially and emotionally while pursuing her studies. Discuss:

What difficulties can people face at school or university?
Why is self-care important, and how can we balance work and recreation?

Activity 3: Consider the benefits and challenges of collecting data

Stanley’s work as an epidemiologist relies on gathering data from a wide range of sources to understand diseases. Discuss:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of collecting data from many sources when conducting a scientific study or survey?

Activity 4: Conduct a survey

Ask 5 people what their favourite drink is and record the results.
Ask 20 people the same question and record the results.

Discuss: Which survey result do you think is a more accurate representation of the class’s favourite drink? Why?

Activity 5: Discuss food additives and their impact

Stanley and her colleagues campaigned to fortify flour with folate after discovering its link to birth defects. Discuss:

What are some common additives in food, and why are they used (health, flavour, shelf-life, appearance)?
How do you feel about eating foods with additives? Why?