معرفی
Professor Jenny Sharples is a distinguished academic at Victoria University's College of Sport, Health & Engineering, where she currently serves as Head of Program, Clinical Science. With over three decades of experience at the university, she has held numerous leadership positions including Dean of the College of Arts, Acting Executive Dean, Deputy Dean, and Head of School of Psychology. Her academic journey began as a Lecturer in Psychology in 1989, progressing through Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and ultimately to Professor in 2012.
Education:
- BBSc from La Trobe University, Melbourne
- MPsyc (Clinical) from La Trobe University, Melbourne
- PhD from University of Melbourne
Professor Sharples' research centers on strengths-based perspectives on mental health and wellness, inclusion and diversity, and evidence-based community program development. Her work bridges clinical psychology with community health initiatives, focusing particularly on gender equality, youth intervention programs, and mental health accessibility for marginalized populations. She employs innovative methodologies including co-design approaches with Indigenous communities and digital health interventions.
Her publication portfolio reveals a clear trajectory toward increasingly complex community-based interventions, with recent work emphasizing culturally responsive approaches to youth fire misuse, gender-sensitized health programs, and suicide prevention. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between psychology, public health, gender studies, and emergency management.
Professor Sharples has secured substantial research funding from diverse sources including VicHealth, Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, NSW Natural Hazards Research, and Victoria Police. Her grants portfolio spans community wellness initiatives, gender equality programs, youth fire intervention, and mental health service accessibility.
As a dedicated supervisor, she leads numerous research-based degree projects focusing on topics such as spiritual abuse in intimate partner violence, mental health of performing artists, and recovery after trauma. Her supervision approach emphasizes community-centered health promotion and culturally responsive methodologies.
Her professional recognition includes Fellow status with the College of Clinical Psychologists and College of Community Psychologists through the Australian Psychological Society, along with registration as a Clinical and Community Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
