Myfanwy Maple

Professor Myfanwy Maple is a leading academic in the field of social work and mental health at the University of New England, based in Armidale, NSW, Australia. She is a Professor in the School of Health and serves as the Director of the Manna Institute, a national virtual research center focused on mental health and wellbeing in regional communities. With over two decades of research experience, her work centers on trauma, suicide exposure, bereavement, and resilience, particularly among vulnerable youth and regional populations.

Education:

• PhD
• Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Education (GCTE)
• Graduate Certificate in Adolescent Health and Welfare (GradCertAdolHlthWelf)
• Bachelor of Social Work (Honours Class I) (BSW(Hons1))
• Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)

Her research interests emphasize lived experience, narrative inquiry, and co-creation in suicide prevention and postvention. She supervises PhD, MPhil, and Honours students using mixed and qualitative methods. Her recent publications highlight trends in suicide exposure, workplace mental health, moral injury in veterans, and community-based interventions. She has led significant studies on the LifeSpan suicide prevention model and the impact of natural disasters on mental health.

Key Scientific and Professional Roles:

• Director, Manna Institute
• Director, Board of batyr
• Deputy Chair, National Suicide Prevention Research Fund Advisory Committee
• Member, Prime Minister’s Suicide Prevention Advisors Expert Advisory Group (2019)
• Co-Chair, International Association for Suicide Prevention Postvention and Bereavement SIG
• Member, Australian Association of Social Workers

Professor Maple is actively involved in advising, grant-funded research, and policy development. She leads national and international collaborations, particularly in suicide prevention and trauma-informed care. Her work is embedded in community and school settings, such as the Social Work in Schools (SWiS) program, which she co-developed to support rural youth. Her research is widely published, with over 150 peer-reviewed articles, and she mentors a strong network of early-career researchers and students.

Laboratories and Research Teams:
She leads the Suicide, Mental Health and Trauma Research Group at UNE and is central to the Manna Institute’s research and training initiatives. Her team employs co-creation methodologies and community-based participatory research to advance knowledge in mental health and suicide prevention.