Professor Paula McDonald

Professor of Work & Organisation and Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor Research at QUT

Paula works closely with organisations in the public, private and community sectors on collaborative research which advances social justice in and beyond the workplace. Her research addresses the organisational and socio-legal dimensions of youth employment; technology and work; public/private boundaries; and gendered dimensions of work. Paula has published 150 academic journal articles, books, chapters and industry reports and been awarded 10 Australian Research Council grants in these fields; six as lead investigator. Paula’s research has had demonstrable impact via expert testimony, workplace training, commissioned research reports, media engagement, submissions to government inquiries, membership on steering committees, and public speaking engagements. Prior to an academic career, Paula held clinical and research roles in child and adolescent psychiatry, medical education, primary care and public health. She was elected to the Australian Academy of Social Sciences in 2021. Paula is a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Agency since 2003 and a senior fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.