Katie Attwell

Associate Professor Katie Attwell is a political science and public policy scholar at the University of Western Australia, recognized globally as an expert in vaccine hesitancy and vaccination policies for both childhood and COVID-19 vaccines. With research spanning over a decade since her groundbreaking 2014 'I Immunise' campaign, she has established herself as a leading voice in understanding how governments implement mandatory vaccination policies across different jurisdictions.

Her research focuses on vaccine policy, public health governance, and political science, with particular expertise in mandatory vaccination policies across America, Australia, and Europe. Dr. Attwell examines how prior governance failures in 'vaccine discipline' shape current policy approaches, analyzing how governments navigate emergent governance demands related to vaccine mandates. Her comparative work spans Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Dr. Attwell's publication record includes articles in prestigious journals such as Nature, Pediatrics, Milbank Quarterly, and Social Science and Medicine, demonstrating her interdisciplinary impact across public health, political science, and medical fields. Her research consistently addresses the intersection of policy design, implementation challenges, and public response to vaccination mandates.

Among her notable achievements is leading the $4.7 million MandEval: Mandate Evaluation project funded by the Medical Research Future Fund of the Australian Government, which explores the impact of COVID-19 vaccine mandates across multiple jurisdictions. Previously, she led the West Australian 'Coronavax' project preparing for COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, and created the internationally recognized 'I Immunise' campaign addressing alternative lifestyle-based vaccine hesitancy in Fremantle.

Dr. Attwell actively engages with academic fields, governments, technical specialists, and media outlets globally, translating her research into practical policy insights. Her work bridges the gap between academic research and real-world implementation of vaccination programs, making significant contributions to understanding how societies manage vaccine hesitancy through policy interventions.