About our research
Our school's research covers topics including public health, physical activity, obesity, disability and inclusion, and the environment. We receive strong support from our partnership network to help achieve our research objectives. Our research themes include:
- social diversity and the health of marginalised or excluded groups
- gender, family, reproductive and sexual health
- sustainability, environments, communities, nature and health
- violence and abuse: prevention and intervention
- child, adolescent and family therapeutic play assessments and interventions
- professional practice and higher education in public health, health promotion, social work, occupational science and therapy and child play therapy.
Study a research degree with us
The school addresses the complex connections between broad determinants of health with social development in a variety of settings and at a range of intervention levels. We currently have research degree supervisors available in:
- public health and health promotion
- occupational therapy
- child play therapy
- disability and inclusion
- social work.
If you'd like to study a masters or PhD with the School of Health and Social Development, first read how to become a research student, then contact a supervisor directly.
Find a research supervisor
Search for the topic that you're interested in researching and discover all the possible supervisors within the Faculty of Health that could help you further your research career goals.
Research supervisors for honours students
Dr Joanne Watson
Dr Joanne Watson is a senior lecturer in Disability and Inclusion in the School of Health and Social Development. Here, she discusses her research on human rights, the wonderfully diverse team she works with and her experience supervising honours students at Deakin.
Dr Elyse Warner and Dr Hayley McKenzie
Dr Elyse Warner and Dr Hayley McKenzie talk about their experience supervising honours students, and their research interests covering the importance of housing in health and wellbeing, and low-income single parents and their experience with the welfare and child support system.
Dr Mathew Dunn
Dr Dunn is a senior lecturer in the School of Health and Social Development. He specialises in researching substance use and harm, in particular the use and harms associated with performance and image enhancing drugs, emerging psychoactive drugs, and ecstasy and related drugs.
Dr Kate Anderson
Dr Kate Anderson, a researcher in the Disability and Inclusion team in the School of Health and Social Development, talks about her expertise in speech pathology and her experience supervising honours students at Deakin.
Health, Nature and Sustainability Research Group (HNS)
The Health Nature and Sustainability Research Group (HNS) is our school’s research centre. HNS works closely with local and international partners to turn research into practical outcomes. The group comprises of an interdisciplinary team united in their commitment to lead research and teaching on the health implications of the links between humans and the natural environment. In addition to research conducted by HNS, our school’s research domains include:
Contact us
Get in touch if you have any further questions regarding the School of Health and Social Development.
+61 3 9251 7777