Zheng Yen Ng
Researcher biography
View Zheng's 2020 Global Change Scholars Program Showcase video.
Zheng Yen Ng is a PhD student in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Queensland. Originally from the Netherlands, he has a background in Linguistics from the University of Groningen specialising in second language acquisition and neurolinguistics. Before pursuing a PhD, he worked as Research Coordinator and supported family social events for a UK charity for people with hearing loss, learning from the people and their communities. Previously, he has coordinated a national registry and a website on hearing loss, and he has been involved in a large-scale research project on learning English as a second language (ESL) in early Dutch primary education and a European-wide strategy on adults’ access to hearing technologies.
He currently investigates language accessibility and inclusivity in healthcare services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families of young children with chronic health conditions, with a further focus on hearing loss. The project examines real-life interactions and perspectives of families and healthcare professionals, giving them a voice through research and building evidence to inform policy and practice. The goal is that these families and healthcare professionals have access to the best available information, resources and strategies, and that they feel supported and included in making appropriate health decisions.
Zheng aims to further develop his research and professional skills, and make complementary contributions to the field. He also aims to further engage, collaborate and form relationships with the people involved in the research, peers, and academic and industry leaders. Participating in the GCSP program will help build his knowledge, connect with multi-disciplinary leaders, identify how project outcomes could contribute towards addressing global issues (e.g. access to healthcare with the growing and diverse world population), and aim for sustainable solutions and improvements where possible and needed.
Zheng’s advisors are Dr Monique Waite, Dr Katie Ekberg and Professor Louise Hickson.