Caroline Jones

Associate Professor Caroline Jones is a researcher within the Speech & Language Program in MARCS Institute at Western Sydney University. She serves as the Director of Impact & Engagement at the MARCS Institute and is a Theme Champion for Education & Work, one of the four University Research Themes.

Caroline received her PhD in Linguistics in 2003 from University of Massachusetts and a B.A. from University of Sydney in 1995. Her previous academic positions included teaching-research roles as a Lecturer at University of New South Wales (2005-07) and as a Senior Lecturer at University of Wollongong (2007-13).

Her research centers on three interconnected areas: language revitalization initiatives across diverse contexts, early language assessment and intervention for multilingual children (0-3 years) in clinical and educational settings, and communication strategies for elderly people including those with dementia. These research strands reflect her commitment to applying linguistic theory to address real-world challenges in education, healthcare, and community settings.

Caroline has received an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (2013-2017) in recognition of her research excellence. Her current projects are primarily funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, with additional collaborative funding from AIATSIS, Prime Minister & Cabinet, and in-kind support from industry partners.

As Director of Impact & Engagement, she oversees research translation initiatives and manages funding that supports Masters and PhD student projects as well as project-based research staff across her three main research domains. Her leadership role ensures that linguistic research at MARCS Institute creates meaningful change in communities beyond academia.