Gillian Gould

Professor Gillian Gould is a leading academic in health equity and tobacco cessation, holding the rank of Professor in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University. She is also an active General Practitioner with over 30 years of experience and a certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist. Her clinical work includes co-founding the Coffs Harbour Refugee Health Clinic in 2006. Previously, she was a founding academic and Head of Campus at the UNSW Faculty of Medicine Rural Clinical School from 2002 to 2011.

Education:

• MBChB – University of Leeds, UK
• Diploma in Drama – University of Auckland, New Zealand (1980)
• Graduate Diploma in Experiential & Creative Arts Therapy – Melbourne Institute for Experiential & Creative Arts Therapy (1999)
• MA by Supervision in Experiential & Creative Arts Therapy – Melbourne Institute (2003)
• PhD in Public Health and Tropical Medicine – James Cook University (2015)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Media and Medicine – Harvard Medical School (2020)

Research Focus: Professor Gould’s research is centered on health equity, particularly in tobacco cessation among Indigenous Australians, refugee health, and women’s health during pregnancy. She co-developed the SISTAQUIT and iSISTAQUIT interventions, which are culturally tailored smoking cessation programs for Indigenous pregnant women. These programs have been scaled nationally and are now being adapted globally.

Her work also explores multi-behavioural health interventions targeting smoking, nutrition, alcohol, and physical activity among refugee populations. Her research is translational, moving from formative studies to national implementation within a decade.

Scientific Awards & Recognition:

• NHMRC Translating Research into Practice (TRIP) Fellow
• Co-funded Fellowship by Cancer Institute NSW

Supervision & Mentorship: Professor Gould has successfully supervised 6 PhD students to completion and is currently supervising 3 PhD students. Her supervision focuses on Indigenous health, tobacco cessation, and refugee health research.

Labs & Clinics: She co-founded the Coffs Harbour Refugee Health Clinic and maintains an active clinical role as a GP and Tobacco Treatment Specialist. Her work bridges academic research and frontline clinical care, especially in regional and underserved communities.