Margaret Giles

Dr. Margaret Giles is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Arts and Humanities at Edith Cowan University (ECU). She previously held positions as a Senior Lecturer (2008–2017) and Associate Professor (2017–2018) in ECU's School of Business and Law. Her expertise spans criminology, economics, and public policy, with a focus on correctional education, meta-regression analysis, and healthcare economics.

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Economics), University of Western Australia, 2003
• Master of Economics, University of Western Australia, 1990
• Bachelor of Economics, University of Western Australia, 1977

Research Interests: Giles examines the effectiveness of correctional education programs, statistical methodologies for policy analysis (e.g., Heckman’s two-stage model), meta-regression techniques, and post-release employment outcomes for ex-prisoners. She has contributed to studies on healthcare service delivery, neurodegenerative disorder care, and economic impacts of prison education.

Grants & Projects:

• "A Future Beyond the Wall": ARC-funded research to improve post-release employment outcomes (2015–2017)
• "Mortality After Release from Incarceration Consortium (MARIC)": Multi-national meta-analysis on post-release mortality (2018–2021)
• Evaluation of prison vocational training’s impact on recidivism (multiple grants)

Awards:

• 2017 Promoted to Associate Professor
• 2012 Dean’s Award for an A* Journal Publication
• 2012 Best Paper at Global Telehealth Conference
• 2009 Inaugural Dean’s Award for Teaching Innovation

Professional Roles: Member of the Academic Advisory Committee for the Independent Centre for Not-for-Profit Research (Perth) and the Hegg Hoffet Fund’s Geneva committee. Active in professional networks like the Economic Society of Australia (WA) and Women in Economics Network.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in criminology, healthcare, and public policy at ECU and international partners like Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.