Karen Martin

Karen Martin is an Adjunct Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia, specializing in trauma-informed and restorative practices for children and youth. She leads the Thoughtful Schools Research Team, collaborating with institutions like Curtin University and Monash University. Her work focuses on embedding trauma-informed practices in schools through frameworks like the International Trauma-Informed Practice Principles for Schools (ITIPPS). She has held roles including Sessional Lecturer at Curtin University and Research Project Coordinator at UWA.

Education: BSc and PhD from The University of Western Australia. Research Interests: Childhood trauma, mental health advocacy, school behavior interventions, and physical activity impacts on learning. She has pioneered programs addressing trauma’s effects on education, collaborating with organizations like the WA Department of Education and Holyoake.

Awards: Emerald Literati Award 2020, Mentor Award 2019, Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Research Award 2018, and Student’s Choice Award 2017. Grants: Over 30 projects funded by bodies such as the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and Healthway, focusing on school trauma practices and community health initiatives.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Thoughtful Schools Program, a scalable toolkit for schools. Current projects include trauma-informed practice implementation in WA secondary schools, partnering with the Mental Health Commission and Department of Child Protection. Media Engagement: Regular contributor to TV, radio, and print media on youth mental health and school policy.