Professor Jayashri Kulkarni is internationally recognised for her research into causes of mental illness in women. She founded, and directs, the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, whose aim is to develop new treatments for mental illness. She has pioneered the use of estrogen to treat schizophrenia, hormones for depression and is a world leader in the translation of basic research in neuroscience to give life-changing treatments for psychiatric disorders. One of her strengths is her ability to explain complex concepts from psychiatry to the media, giving her a role as an outstanding public educator on mental health issues.