Emma Kirby

Professor Emma Kirby is a sociologist at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), where she leads The Care Lab and serves as Associate Dean Societal Impact, Equity & Engagement for the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture. She chairs the faculty's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and has held prestigious roles including UNSW Scientia Fellow and Australian Research Council DECRA.

• Current appointments: Professor of Sociology, Leader of The Care Lab
• Past roles: Scientia Fellow, DECRA, Head of Sociology (implied)

Her research focuses on the sociology of health, illness, and care, analyzing advanced illness and end-of-life care through qualitative methodologies. Key areas include healthcare practice, diversity, and social justice. She has led 10 major funded projects totaling over $2.6 million, including studies on pandemic delays in end-of-life care and informal care transitions.

Current grants include:

• ARC Discovery Project [DP24010775] (2024-2026): $343,081
• ARC Linkage Project [LP220100209] (2022-2025): $480,315

Scientific awards include:

• UNSW Dean's Award for Scholarly Impact (2018)
• University of Queensland Early Career Researcher Award (2014)

She supervises doctoral students in medical sociology topics including Maori experiences of eating disorders, trans* bereavement, and antimicrobial resistance sociocultural factors. Her editorial roles include Health Sociology Review, BMJ Open, and Palliative Care and Social Practice.