Olivia Evans

Dr. Olivia Evans is a Gomeroi woman and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Australian National University's Research School of Psychology within the School of Medicine and Psychology. Born and raised in Newcastle, NSW on Awabakal land, she completed her PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Newcastle in 2019. Dr. Evans is actively engaged in groundbreaking research at the intersection of social identity, mental health, and equity issues.

Her research focuses on the impacts of inequality and status on social connectedness and mental health. Key areas include social class, socioeconomic status, inequality, social integration, social support, social connectedness, mental health, well-being, social media, identity, and equity in higher education. Dr. Evans is particularly known for her work on the experiences of working-class university students and Indigenous mental health issues.

Dr. Evans' publication record demonstrates a strong focus on the relationship between social identity and mental health in various contexts, including environmental disasters, social media usage, and educational settings. Her work often examines how social connections mediate mental health outcomes, particularly in crisis situations like bushfires and the pandemic. Recent publications show an increasing emphasis on Indigenous issues, particularly surrounding the Voice to Parliament Referendum and allyship with Indigenous Australian peoples.

Dr. Evans is registered to supervise research students and has been involved in multiple significant research projects including 'Pathways to non-Indigenous Allyship with Indigenous Australian Peoples' (2025-2028), 'Tweets vs. Treaties: An Analysis of Online Racism Surrounding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum' (2023-2025), and 'Improving the Well-Being of Low Socioeconomic Status Students at University' (2021-2025).

As a member of the Health and Identity Lab, Dr. Evans contributes to a collaborative research environment focused on understanding the complex relationships between identity, health, and social context. Her work has garnered significant attention with an h-index of 8 and 149 citations, reflecting her growing impact in the fields of social psychology and mental health research.