Jo Raphael

Associate Professor Jo Raphael is a drama education specialist at Deakin University, with appointments in the School of Education under the Faculty of Arts and Education. As Artistic Director of Fusion Theatre, she champions inclusive community-based theatre. Her leadership roles include President of Drama Australia since 2022.

• PhD, University of Melbourne
• Master of Education, University of Melbourne
• Bachelor of Education, Victoria College

Research interests span arts-based inquiry, applied drama, and inclusive education. She develops participatory action research approaches that center marginalized voices, particularly in disability studies and climate change education. Her methodologies include collaborative arts-based autoethnography and post-structuralist frameworks.

Recent publications focus on climate change education (2025), interdisciplinary aesthetics (2023), and inclusive teacher training (2022). These works demonstrate her commitment to transdisciplinary pedagogy and equity-focused research.

• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy
• Drama Australia President's Award (2018)
• Vice Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award (2016)
• Life Member, Drama Victoria (2019)
• Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation (2010)

Prominent grants include $1.14M and $1.11M contracts for graduate certificate programs in Secondary Design and Digital Technologies (2023-2026), and $6M+ for Secondary Mathematics and Science Initiative (2020-2025). She supervises Masters by Research and PhD students while maintaining active involvement in community engagement through Fusion Theatre.