معرفی
Karen Bell is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work and Arts at Charles Sturt University, where she has worked since 2000. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts (La Trobe University, 1986) and Bachelor of Social Work with Honours (University of Melbourne, 1988), culminating in a PhD (CSU, 2009). As a 2024 ANZSWWER Research Achievement Award recipient, her work bridges theory, practice, and policy in social work.
- Education: BA (La Trobe), BSW (Hons, Melbourne), PhD (CSU)
- Leadership: Co-leader of Environmental and Social Justice Research Group (2019–2024), Future of the Professions Research Group (2021–2024)
Karen’s research explores post-conventional social theory, post-anthropocentric approaches, and ecological social work, with a focus on gender and women’s health, disaster practice, and rural service delivery. Her Scopus h-index of 15 reflects her influence in these areas.
Her publications span disaster preparedness, menstrual justice, and social work identity, often emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and human rights. Karen’s work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Health), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities).
- 2024: ANZSWWER Research Achievement Award
- 2018: ANZSWWER Social Work Educator Award
- 2017: Educational Publishing Award (chapter author)
- 2017: Australasian Association of Gerontology Award
- 2013: CSU Faculty of Arts Research Excellence Award
- 2011: Faculty Leadership Excellence Award
Karen supervises PhD, DSW, MSW, and Honours candidates and co-facilitates international student mobility programs (China, India, Samoa, Republic of Korea). She coordinates the Bachelor of Social Work Honours program and Masters-level research strand, contributing to curriculum innovation and professional accreditation.
