Associate Professor Olayide Ogunsiji

Dr Olayide Ogunsiji (BSc, MSc, BN, PhD) is an Associate Professor of Nursing and Director of Academic Career Development (Pre-registration Nursing) in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University (WSU). Olayide is an experienced nursing clinician, educator and researcher. Her research is focused on sexual and reproductive health, women’s health, migrant and refugee health, primary health care and African women’s health. She is passionate about cultural issues that impact health. Olayide’s citations in Google Scholar is 885 with h-index of 18 and i10-index of 20. Her work is multidisciplinary and collaborative. She has received multiple awards to progress her research on sexual and reproductive health, including the prestigious Australia Awards Fellowship. Olayide’s work on Female Genital Mutilation has received attention through media including ABC, SBS radio and SBS online.

Olayide’s teaching practice is internationally peer reviewed and she is a Senior Fellow Higher Education Advance (SFHEA). She teaches all levels of undergraduate nursing students, postgraduate and higher degree research students. She has 1PhD, 1 MRes and 2 BN Honours students’ completions. She is currently supervising 2 BN Honours, 2 MRes and 3 PhD students. She led 16 students on a field trip to China in an undergraduate unit on Comparative Health Care delivery. 

Dr Ogunsiji is the Founder of African Women’s Health and Support Organisation (AWHASO), a not-for-profit organisation for promotion of African women’s health at home and abroad. She is the Chair of two Management Boards and a member of five advisory committees.

Dr Olayide Ogunsiji’s research focuses on sexual and reproductive health, women’s health, migrant and refugee health, primary health care and African women’s health. Her specific projects are in female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), intimate partner violence (IPV), breast and cervical cancer screening, and parenting. She is passionate about primary prevention of health issues and advocates the importance of paying attention to Social Determinant of Health as the way to addressing several health issues. Olayide’s research has significantly impacted global efforts on gender equality, community engagement, and policy through culturally sensitive approaches to awareness raising of these health issues.

Through community education and media presence, more FGM/C practicing communities are aware of the non-therapeutic benefit of FGM/C. In February 2022, Dr Ogunsiji hosted a virtual event to commemorate International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C – the first in the Australian University sector. This event attracted audience members from throughout Australia and abroad and has since been an annual event.

Olayide’s work is contributing to WSU ranking 1^st globally in SDG’s gender equality three years in a row as reported by Times Higher Education (THE). Dr Ogunsiji was invited to contribute to 2021 WSU 5^th edition Future Makers magazine which showcases incisive and innovative research at Western. Her FGM/C work was on the front-page of the magazine. In the last 5 years, Dr Ogunsiji developed IPV training for faith-based leaders. Pre-post feedback revealed increased competency in supporting their congregation.

Nationally, recognition of Olayide’s leadership and expertise in FGM/C research is demonstrated by numerous invitations to sit on committees; review government (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) reports on estimates of FGM/C in Australia. She is frequently sought by the media for expert commentaries on FGM/C topics including that of possible underground practice of FGM/C in Australia during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Dr Ogunsiji’s international standing and expertise in FGM/C research is captured by an invitation from co-founder of the End FGM Canada Network (Giselle Portenier) to facilitate the inclusion of Australian youth voices in advocacy against FGM/C. Now, 4 Australian young voices are part of this international advocacy to end the practice.

Olayide is a multi-award winner including: (1) 2024 NSW Volunteer of the Year (2) Australia Award Fellowship Round 18 in 2022 (3) Dorothy Garrigus Adams 2021 Award for excellence in service at the Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society International Awards (4) Western Sydney University 2020 Vice-Chancellor Excellence Award for university engagement and sustainability (5) Blacktown local woman of the year at the 2020 New South Wales Women of the Year Award.  

Associate Professor Olayide Ogunsiji's research interest are in the areas of:

1. Sexual and reproductive Health
2. Women's health
3. Migrant and refugee health
4. Primary health care
5. African women's health

2022-Date: Director of Academic and Career Development (Pre-registration Nursing).

2018-2022: Director of Academic Workforce (Liverpool campus)

2020-Date: Subject Coordinator, Building Organisational Capacity in Health Care.