Kerryn Drysdale

Kerryn Drysdale is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Research in Health (CSRH) within the Faculty of Arts, Design, and Architecture at UNSW Sydney. Her research focuses on queer performance cultures, chemsex, blood-borne virus prevention, and community-engaged methodologies. She holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from the University of Sydney and has held concurrent roles such as the Community Partnerships Fellow at the Health Equity Research and Development Unit (2020-2021). Her work bridges cultural theory and public health, emphasizing innovative frameworks like 'scene studies' to analyze social norms and health promotion in LGBTQ+ communities.

Education: PhD in Cultural Studies (2016), MA in Gender Studies (2009), BA(Hons) in Gender Studies (2002), all from the University of Sydney.

Research Interests: Kerryn’s interdisciplinary work spans Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and Anthropology. She develops frameworks analyzing 'scenes'—dynamic social spaces—to explore issues like chemsex, drag king cultures, and health inequities. Her ethnographic methods integrate sensory and affective dimensions, contributing to policies and interventions for marginalized groups.

Grants and Projects: Lead investigator on projects addressing LGBTQ+ health, including 'National co-designed participation framework for LGBTIQ+ people with disability' (2025-2027) and 'Public Understandings of Immunity Systems' (2025-2028, ARC Discovery Project). Co-leads the UNSW Community of Practice on Inclusive Research with Queer and Trans populations.

Awards: 2024 Dean’s Award for Inclusion, Wiley’s Top Cited Article (2021-2022), and multiple Early Career Research Excellence awards. Recognized for advancing LGBTQIA+ inclusion in health research and policy.

Advising and Teaching: Supervised PhDs in queer health and donor-conceived identities. Guest lectures on qualitative methods and health equity. Holds roles in academic leadership, including editorial boards and advisory positions for organizations like SSDP and Working it Out Tasmania.

Labs/Teams: Active in the CSRH, co-leading initiatives on sexual health, harm reduction, and inclusive research practices. Collaborates with global networks like INHSU and the Australasian Health and Medical Humanities Network.