Jacqueline Williams

Associate Professor Jacqueline Williams is a senior academic at Victoria University's College of Sport, Health & Engineering. She joined VU as a post-doctoral research fellow in 2009 and currently serves as an Associate Professor and Head of Program for Sport and Movement Sciences. Her work bridges research, clinical practice, and policy implementation in the field of motor development disorders.

Dr. Williams holds a BHlthSci in Human Movement (Hons) from ACU (2002), a PhD in Psychology from RMIT University (2007), and a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education from Victoria University (2014). She has held various academic positions including Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne (2007-2009), Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Victoria University (2009-2012), and Honorary Research Fellow at Murdoch Children's Research Institute (2009-2019).

Her research primarily focuses on understanding developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and related motor skill disorders. She utilizes advanced neuroimaging techniques including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine motor imagery, motor planning, and movement control. Her work has significant implications for developing interventions that improve quality of life for individuals with DCD and their families.

Dr. Williams has established herself as a leading international researcher in DCD, ranking among Google Scholar's Top 10 most-cited researchers in this field as of June 2025. Her research outputs demonstrate a strong international collaborative network, with 46% of publications including international co-authors, and 70% published in top-ranking (quartile 1) journals.

She has received significant research funding, primarily from the Waterloo Foundation, totaling over $800K. Her funded projects include eHealth interventions for mental health in DCD and brain stimulation approaches to improve function in cerebral palsy.

• VU Vice Chancellor's Peak Award for Excellence in Research and Research Training (ECR) (2011)

She supervises research students in areas related to motor control, neuroplasticity, and movement disorders, and has developed strong collaborative networks both in Australia and internationally. Her work continues to shape clinical practice and policy for individuals with developmental motor disorders.