Professor Sheena Reilly has generated a substantial body of original research in childhood communication disorders and swallowing problems, as displayed by her publications and their impact on clinical practice in this discipline. Sheena’s Early Language in Victoria Study has rapidly become internationally significant in the evolution of language impairment. It’s the only specialist cohort study with population data from infancy through to the school years. Sheena’s strengths as a teacher, clinician and researcher, together with the close partnership between the University of Melbourne, the RCH and MCRI, enable her to play a key role in the integration of research into clinical practice.