Angela Dew

Professor Angela Dew is the Discipline Lead for Disability and Inclusion at Deakin University's School of Health and Social Development within the Faculty of Health. With over 40 years of experience in the Australian disability sector and academic work since 2011, she leads the Disability and Inclusion research stream, focusing on participatory and co-designed research involving people with disability and complex support needs, including those from refugee backgrounds.

Professor Dew earned her PhD from The University of Sydney in 2011 and completed her Masters (Hons) from the University of Western Sydney in 2005. Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to disability inclusion and rights-based approaches to research and practice.

Her research centers on understanding the lived experiences of people with disability and their families, with particular attention to those from refugee backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and rural and regional settings. Professor Dew employs innovative arts-based research methods and maintains a strong human rights framework in all her work. Her research interests span complex support needs, LGBTQI issues in disability, dementia, abuse prevention, and sexuality and relationships. She fundamentally believes that 'all people are entitled to fairness, equity and a good life,' which drives her research and teaching philosophy.

Professor Dew's publication record reveals a consistent focus on disability inclusion, with increasing emphasis on intersectional approaches that examine how disability intersects with refugee status, cultural background, and geographic location. Her recent work shows sophisticated methodological approaches, particularly in arts-based methods like body mapping and photovoice, which empower participants to express their experiences in non-traditional ways.

As an educator, Professor Dew teaches in the postgraduate Masters of Disability and Inclusion program and contributes to undergraduate units. She actively supervises PhD students working on diverse aspects of disability research, including Phuong Do, Tom Voigt, Jane Adams, Peter Conway, and Simone Rowe, among others.

Professor Dew has secured significant research funding from the National Disability Research Partnership, Australian Research Council Discovery, and UNSW Disability Innovation Institute. Her major projects include 'Co-designing Resources to Increase Access to Information and Services' for Syrian and Iraqi people with disability from refugee backgrounds, 'Women marginalised by mental health, disability or refugee status,' and 'Planning for a better life under the National Disability Insurance Scheme' for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability.