Professor Cummins holds a Personal Chair in Psychology. He is an active researcher and supervises higher degree students.
Melbourne campus at Burwood, Coordinator Colloquium Program
Awards and prizes
2007: Distinguished Quality of Life Researcher. Awarded by the International Society for Quality of Life Studies.
2006: Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer.
2005: Designated Expert of International Standing in Quality of Life Research by the Australian Research Council College of Experts.
2004: Best paper published in Social Indicators Research in 2003 (Cummins, R. A., Eckersley, R., Pallant, J., Van Vugt, J., & Misajon, R.) awarded by the International Society for Quality of Life Studies.
2004: Faculty Academic of the Year Award, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences. Awarded by the Deakin University Student Association.
2004: Victorian Public Health Award for Capacity Building Excellence (Cummins, R. A., Davern, M., Hunter, B. James, A. M., Okerstrom, E., McMillan, D., Eckersley, R., & Lo, S. K.). Awarded by the Victorian Department of Human Services.
Memberships
Australian Psychological Society
International Society for Quality of Life Research
International Society for Quality of Life Studies
Service to the University, discipline or community
University
2000-cont: Director, Australian Centre on Quality of Life
2000-cont: Member, Faculty Board
Discipline
2011-cont: Past-President - International Society for Quality of Life Studies
2002-cont: Founding co-ordinator - International Wellbeing Group
2005-2013: External Academic Advisor, Master of Social Science in Counselling, City University of Hong Kong.
2008-cont: Member, Academic Advisory Board of the Australian Positive Psychology and Well-Being Conference.
2008-cont: Member, Inaugural Advisory Board for the World Happiness Forum.
2009: Co-Chair (with Anna Lau) Symposium, International Wellbeing Group. 9th Conference of the International Society for Quality of Life Studies, Florence, July.
2010-cont: Member, Expert Panel, National Carer Counselling Program, Carers Australia.
2010-cont: Member, Program Advisory Committee, Master of Wellness, RMIT (www.rmit.edu.au/wellness )
2011-cont: Member, Steering Committee, Australian National Development Index
2011: Chair, External Review Panel, Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Psychology, Hong Kong Institute of Education.
2011-cont: Member, Advisory Committee, Partners for Livable Communities Australia (www.livable.org.au)
Community: Membership of Editorial boards
1995-cont: Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability.
1996-cont: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities.
1996-cont: International Journal of Practical Approaches to Disability.
1999-cont: International Journal of Disability, Development and Education.
1999-cont: Social Indicators Research.
1999-2003: Journal of Happiness Studies.
2004-2005: Editor, Journal of Happiness Studies
2006-2009: Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Happiness Studies
2010-cont: Editor, Journal of Happiness Studies
2005-cont: Applied Research in Quality of Life.
2010-cont: Journal of Social Research & Policy.
2011-cont: Pakistan Journal of Psychology.
Conferences
Cummins, R. A. (2011). Why chronic mood and subjective wellbeing are keys to rehabilitative success. Invited address, Hong Kong Society for Quality of Life, Hong Kong.
Cummins, R. A. (2011). Liveability and wellbeing. Invited paper, Panellist, Green Cities 2011 Conference. Green Building Council of Australia, Melbourne.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). Can economic policy increase national happiness?. Invited paper, Policy Forum, Can Economic Policy Make us Happy? Centre for Applied Research in Economics, Curtin University, Perth.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). Understanding the happiness of families affected by disability. Invited paper, Seminar on Enhancing Quality of Life, Marymead, Canberra.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). Country towns and happiness: Whats the connection? Invited paper, Critical Horizons Conference, South West Development Commission, Bunbury, Western Australia.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). Why evaluate subjective wellbeing? Invited paper, National Carer Counselling Program Implementation Workshop, Carers Australia, Canberra.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). Population happiness and public policy. Invited paper, Wellbeing Conference, University of Wollongong.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). Happy and Healthy: The wellbeing index for your workforce. Invited paper, International HR Director Forum, Sydney.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). Economics & Psychology: A marriage of necessity. Keynote address, National Economic Review Gowth Summit, Sydney.
Cummins, R. A. (2010). The emerging role of Private Sector to improve national life quality. Plenary address, 10th International Society for Quality of Life Studies Conference, Bangkok.