I have a PhD in Social Research (Sociology), a Bachelor of Arts (Honours, Community & Industry) and an undergraduate degree in Social Science (Psychology), majoring in Psychology and Sociology, all undertaken at Swinburne, where I am also an Adjunct Research Fellow in the Faculty of Health, Arts and Design. I currently work at the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) where I am a Research Fellow and Project Coordinator in the Social Gerontology Division working on a number of projects researching ageing issues. I am also a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne in the School of Population and Global Health working on the Sexual Health and Ageing, Perspectives and Education (SHAPE) project. I have previously worked in community development projects addressing ageing, social connectedness and isolation.
My PhD studies were focused on older adults and connection of a different kind – love, sex and intimacy in new late life romantic relationships, online and offline. I am passionate about the well-being of older people and I am particularly interested in dispelling the myths of older adults as non-physical, non-sexual beings.
I am a member of The Australian Sociological Association (TASA: tasa.org.au) where I co-convene the Ageing and Sociology Thematic Group and a member of the Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG: http://www.aag.asn.au/) and the Sexual Health Society of Victoria (http://shsov.weebly.com/)
I have presented at many conferences, seminars and community forums both nationally and internationally and have appeared on radio and television talking about late life sexuality as well as online dating.