Joanne Steel

Dr. Joanne Steel is a Lecturer in Speech Pathology within the School of Health Sciences at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with over ten years of clinical and research experience working with adults in acute, inpatient and outpatient hospital settings and the community. Dr. Steel is also the co-founder of BRAINSPaN (Brain Impairment Clinician and Researcher Peer Network), a multidisciplinary network with over 700 members across Australia that facilitates knowledge sharing between clinicians and researchers in the brain impairment field.

Dr. Steel earned her Doctor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) from the University of Newcastle, where she was awarded the University Medal in 2010. Her academic journey has been focused on improving outcomes for adults with acquired neurogenic communication disabilities, particularly after traumatic brain injury or stroke.

Dr. Steel's primary research area is the assessment and treatment of cognitive and social communication disorders after traumatic brain injury (TBI), with a specific focus on management for people with severe injury in the early stages of recovery. Her work addresses the complex challenges of assessing communication changes following brain injury, which requires close collaboration with both the affected individuals and their family members. A significant portion of her research has examined how to improve narrative discourse abilities (such as telling stories and giving explanations) for people with TBI, recognizing that impairment in this fundamental social skill negatively impacts relationships and employment opportunities.

Her research program demonstrates a clear progression from foundational work on cognitive communication assessment during post-traumatic amnesia to the development of innovative assessment methods and interventions for narrative discourse after TBI. Recent work focuses on visual discourse elicitation materials, speech-language pathologists' clinical practices, and the development of narrative discourse interventions for patients in early recovery stages. This research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 ("Good Health and Well-being") through its focus on improving communication outcomes for people with traumatic brain injury.

Dr. Steel's scientific recognition includes the University Medal from the University of Newcastle (2010). She has secured multiple research grants, including the SHS Research Support grant (2024), Faculty of Education and Arts New Staff Grant (2021), and conference travel grants to present her work at national and international conferences.

As an educator, Dr. Steel has developed two core courses in the Speech Pathology program and coordinates and lectures in courses covering adult language disorders, adult speech disorders, clinical practice, and research review. She currently serves as Principal Supervisor for a PhD student researching "Speech Pathology Intervention For Cognitive Communication Disorders Post-Traumatic Brain Injury Within Inpatient Rehabilitation Settings." Her research collaborations include work on the SafetyCatch app for hospital communication safety, the international TBIBank Grand Rounds digital health resource, and her co-founded BRAINSPaN network.

Through BRAINSPaN, Dr. Steel has created a sustainable platform for multidisciplinary collaboration in brain impairment research and practice. The network has successfully increased multidisciplinary collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill development around cognitive rehabilitation, with members reporting significant benefits from connecting with this professional community.