Andrea Salins

Dr. Andrea Salins is a Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy (ACAL) within the Faculty of Education and Arts at Australian Catholic University (ACU). She holds a PhD in Cognitive Science from Macquarie University (2022) and has extensive experience in postdoctoral research focusing on children’s language, literacy, and emotional health development. Her work emphasizes supporting children with hearing difficulties and Indigenous communities through culturally safe interventions.

• Education: PhD in Cognitive Science (Macquarie University, 2022)
• Postdoctoral Role: Co-designed and implemented culturally safe speech-language programs for Aboriginal children with hearing impairments in rural NSW.
• Teaching: Lecturer at Macquarie University and ACU in cognitive science, psychology, and speech-language pathology.

Research interests center on orthographic supports for vocabulary learning, the intersection of hearing health and literacy, and the emotional well-being of children with developmental challenges. She has contributed to community initiatives like the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in Tamworth, Australia.

Her research spans both theoretical and applied domains, with a focus on marginalized populations. Current projects include longitudinal studies examining reading development and mental health in children with hearing difficulties, as well as interventions to mitigate educational inequities.