MICHELLE REDMAN-MACLAREN

Hello and welcome to my page. I am an Anglo-Celt born on Gubbi Gubbi country who grew up on a farm on Gomaroi Country (near what is now known as Narrabri). I enact inclusive, developmental and decolonising research with peoples of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. 

 

As a social worker specialising in community development and human service management, I have worked in rural, remote and international settings for almost 25 years. I now provide professional supervision for social workers (AASW), NGO workers and managers in the community services sector. 

 

I worked with women in PNG to explore HIV prevention options for my PhD research (2012-2015). My current research is co-facilitated to:

*Understand lived experiences;

*Improve sexual and reproductive health;

*Understand and reduce impacts of climate change;

*Reduce transmission of infectious diseases; and

*Strengthen health and NGO systems.​

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I have a strong practical and theoretical track record in facilitating research capacity strengthening and supervising PhD candidates. I work with grassroots communities, community--based organisations and tertiary institutions, in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and a number of Pacific Island nations. I also contribute as an Academic Advisor for Australian Award scholarship selection processes. 

 

In all of my research work, including during my service as Associate Dean, Research Education in the College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University (2020-2022), I centralise an 'All Teach, All Learn' approach to research capacity strengthening.

 

As a poet researcher, I use a variety of arts-based methods in my research. I particularly use poetry to enhance research - both as a tool for critical reflection and for advocacy (I also write poems about birds!). You can watch my TEDx talk 'Can poetry make you healthy?' 

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I am available to provide professional supervision and mentoring (individually and in small groups), and to facilitate participatory and arts-based research workshops and support research activity.