معرفی
Dr. Rebecca Waters is a Senior Lecturer at the Curtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, with sixteen years of tertiary education experience. A registered Occupational Therapist (AHPRA), she holds a PhD and BSc (Occupational Therapy) from Curtin University, focusing on person-centred approaches in human services.
Her educational background includes:
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Curtin University: "Person-centredness in Human Services: An Evidence-Based Conceptualisation to Inform Practice"
- Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Curtin University
Dr. Waters' research centers on person-centred care, disability inclusion, and responses to abuse disclosures by people with disability, particularly within the National Disability Insurance Scheme context. She actively investigates family and domestic violence against women with disability, social inclusion for people with intellectual disability, and assessment methodologies in occupational therapy education. Her work bridges clinical practice, policy translation, and lived experience perspectives.
Her recent publications (2023-2025) reveal strong thematic focus on violence against women with disability, empathy in therapeutic contexts, and social inclusion barriers. Methodologically, she employs qualitative approaches including scoping reviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis, frequently published in high-impact journals like Trauma, Violence and Abuse and Qualitative Health Research, demonstrating consistent interdisciplinary collaboration.
Dr. Waters' scientific recognition includes:
- Senior Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy
- Associate Fellowship - Curtin Academy (2024)
- Curtin Values Team Award (2024)
- Vice-Chancellor's Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award (2012)
- Multiple Faculty-level Excellence in Teaching Awards (2011, 2014, 2018)
She currently supervises five PhD students researching empathy, violence against women, feedback processes, and occupational justice restoration. Her grant leadership includes securing a $512,000 Health Workforce Australia grant for clinical fieldwork expansion and serving as chief investigator on two Category 1 grants addressing disability and abuse disclosures. She has developed successful educational partnerships through Programs that Enhance Learning.
As a member of Curtin's Care + Justice Research Group, she co-founded the Early and Mid-Career Researcher Network (2021-2025), chaired its Governance Committee, and served on Curtin University's Academic Board (2022-2024). Her leadership extends to values-based training for disability sector leaders and facilitating family leadership initiatives.
