Dr Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu

Position

Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead, Rural Health, School of Medicine

Biography

Levi attained a Doctor of Optometry (OD) 2000 from Abia State University, Nigeria, and a Master of Science degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences (focus on ocular health) in 2014 from Aston University Birmingham, UK, where he graduated with a distinction. Prior to moving to Australia, Levi has worked in various private and public sectors in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia. In Australia he assisted the Ophthalmologists at the Centre of Excellence, Inala and travelled with Ideas Van to provide diabetes care for Aboriginals.

Levi completed his PhD from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 2017, where his worked on improving the peripheral vision of humans with emphasis on early detection and prevention of Myopia, a leading public health issue. During this time, he also served as the President of the Optical Society of America QUT Chapter as well as teaching various health courses within and outside the School of Optometry.

Since commencing at Western Sydney University in 2018 as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Diabetes and Integrated Care, Levi has served in various committees both within the university and internationally. He has been involved in several large-scale studies including the roll out of the Tongan GDM Taskforce, Diabetes Care Support Service (DCSS) which is a 25 years audit of General practices across Auckland, New Zealand and the Pasifika Preventing Diabetes Programme (PPDP), an NHMRC funded lifestyle intervention programme, where he served as the Field Coordinator (2020-2022). Levi also a member of the Global Burden of Disease study group where he contributes to studies on diabetes.

Levi is the Convenor of two research groups - the African Translational Research Group (AfTreG) and the Center for Eye Care and Public Health Intervention Initiative (CEPHII), domiciled in South Africa.

Research Interests

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Chronic Disease
• Eye Health
• Epidemiology
• Ageing
• Global Health
• Indigenous health

Memberships

• Australian Research Network for African Academics Ltd (2022)
• Australian Diabetes Society (2018)
• Fellow American Academy of Optometry (2022)
• Nigerian Optometry Association (2000)
• Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (2012)
• Optica (formerly OSA) (2018)
• Lions Club Australia (2018)

Qualifications & Recognition

• PhD Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
• MSc Aston University, Birmingham, UK
• Doctor of Optometry (OD), Abia State University, Okigwe, Nigeria
• Dip in Comm Serv National Career Institute, Australia
• Fellow, American Academy of Optometry, 2022

Awards & Recognition

• Academic Excellence Award, Celebration of African Australians Inc 2022
• Western Sydney University, Deputy Vice Chancellor’s Excellence in Research 2019
• Lion Club Community Award for health promotion, 2019
• QUT write up scholarship 2017
• Best Poster Presentation, The Optical Society 2016
• Optical Society Centennial Grant award 2016
• QUT HDR Tuition fee scholarship, Faculty of health scholarship 2014

Research & Publications

• For a complete list of my publications please see my publications page (opens in a new window)
• View my ResearchGate profile (opens in a new window)
• View my Web of Science profile (opens in a new window)

Contact Details