Wood awarded $100,000 Charles Perkins Centre fellowship

Author Charlotte Wood has been awarded the University of Sydney’s $100,000 Charles Perkins Centre Writer in Residence fellowship.

As previously reported by Books+Publishing, the university announced the fellowship for a writer to ‘join the fight against obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease’ at the Charles Perkins Centre research and education hub, with the fellow to ‘commence a new work on a topic or topics that are inspired by and help communicate and interpret issues related to the work of the centre’.

In a statement, the centre said Wood will ‘craft a new novel centred on the lives of three elderly women, aimed at addressing the experience of a “new generation of aging people”’. ‘Wood’s forthcoming novel will seek to pose confronting questions around aging, in response to the static way the elderly are represented in literature and in mainstream culture,’ said the centre.

Wood said she was ‘stunned’ to be chosen. ‘I thought I was really clear in my application that I would not be doing anything obedient,’ said Wood. ‘Now I’m starting to think that’s why I was chosen.’

Wood also receives an honorary appointment at the University of Sydney, an office in the Charles Perkins Centre Research and Education Hub, library access, and the opportunity to work with researchers, educators and clinicians.

Launched in 2014, the Charles Perkins Centre brings together researchers and clinicians from the University’s 16 faculties to ‘develop integrated solutions for easing the burden of obesity and chronic disease’.

Category: Local news