Lesley Hawkes

Lesley Hawkes is an Associate Professor in Professional Communication at the School of Communication, Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She holds a PhD from the University of Queensland (2005) titled "Representations of the Railway in Australian Literature." Her research focuses on spatial understanding in literary texts and cultural studies, particularly within an Australian context. She teaches across Professional Communication, Literary Studies, Creative Writing, and Cultural Studies.

• Affiliations: QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Higher Education Research Network (HERN)
• Roles: HDR Training Coordinator, former Postgraduate Subject Area Co-ordinator for Creative Writing and Literary Studies (2012–2016)

Education:

• PhD in Australian Literature (University of Queensland, 2005)

Research Interests: Spatial narratives in literature, Australian cultural identity, Gothic literature, creative writing pedagogy, and environmental humanities. Her work often explores how place shapes cultural narratives, particularly in Australian contexts.

Recent Article Trends: Recent publications address themes like desert imagery, queer Australian literature, dark tourism in cinema, and environmental narratives. These works bridge literary analysis with interdisciplinary approaches, emphasizing cultural and spatial dimensions.

Awards:

• 2016 Vice-Chancellor's Performance Award
• Senior Fellow in the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• 2014 and 2011 Vice-Chancellor's Performance Awards for teaching

Supervision & Grants: Supervised 22 doctoral and 16 Honours students, including medalists and award winners. Specializes in both practice-led and traditional research supervision. Active in mentoring students and staff in higher education practices.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with QUT Digital Media Research Centre and contributes to interdisciplinary projects in cultural and media studies.