Robert Lingard

Robert Lingard is a Teaching Associate at Southern Cross University with dual appointments in the Faculty of Health and Faculty of Education. Based at Lismore campus (Z.35), he can be contacted via telephone 0483 354 602 or email robert.lingard@scu.edu.au.

His academic credentials include:

• BD(MCD)(OTHAUS)
• BSc(Hons)(UNSW)
• PhD(SCU)

Lingard integrates perspectives from human genetics, theology, and sociology through a Critical Realist lens. His research spans bioethics (particularly human reproductive cloning), cognitive sense-making processes, philosophical foundations of critical realism, pastoral care frameworks, and qualitative methodology development. This interdisciplinary approach examines how care practices support human wellbeing within complex social systems.

He actively supervises research students exploring Critical Realist ontologies and care-based wellbeing models, emphasizing practical applications in health and education contexts.

Community engagement defines his professional practice: he serves on the executive committee of Dementia Inclusive Ballina Alliance Inc, provides spiritual care as a high school Chaplain and Disaster Relief Chaplain (DRCN), and contributes to research ethics as a volunteer member of SCU's Human Research Ethics Committee.