My name is Dr Tuguy Esgin

Dr Tuguy Esgin, a Noongar/Yamatji, graduated with an Exercise Physiology Ph.D. focusing on using Exercise as Medicine to reduce the avoidable risk factors associated with chronic non-communicable disease. His research is driven to ensure that there are improvements in social-emotional well-being and socio-economic factors and Indigenous communities.    

 

Walking in two worlds (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) has led to Dr. Esgin becoming an Agent for Change. There is a pronounced negative or deficit mindset surrounding Indigenous communities and as an advocate for a strength-based approach and his Indigenous standpoint theory research is focused on changing these research, program, and policy practices.

 

After all, Australia has the oldest living culture in the world, not only did our Indigenous cultures, and languages survive colonisation, it is alive and thriving, we are the first, Healers, Scientists, Researchers, Astronomers, Chemists, and Ecologists. Our Elders and advocates are doing amazing things in conjunction with non-Indigenous champions which further builds respect and strengthens relationships through reconciliation. It is these wins that need to be celebrated not the negative discord that is prevalent in the media in policies, reports, and journal articles.            

 

Dr Esgin has used the delay of exercise-related research (due to COVID), to conduct research that informs stakeholders about Strength-Based Approaches, so they can adopt this practice and migrate away from the deficient discourse. Currently, Dr. Esgin’s latest research is focused on reviews, including a systematic review on; Strengthening cultural integrity to strengthen randomised control trial research and an international umbrella review of Indigenous physical activity systematic reviews.  He is also conducting a systematic review on Indigenous Entrepreneurship to further explore the relationships between health and financial literacy and the impact on the social determinants of health.