Sallie Yea

Sallie Yea is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University. She has held academic positions across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Korea, and holds a PhD in Human Geography/Asian Studies from Monash University. Her work bridges political and migration geography with international development, focusing on human trafficking, precarious migration, and transnationalism.

Her research interests include:

• Human and Political Geography
• Migration and Forced Displacement
• Gender and Development
• Climate Change and Mobility
• Social Justice and Labor Rights
• Transnationalism and Identity

Sallie’s recent publications reveal a strong focus on migrant labor exploitation, justice access for fishing crews, and health outcomes for trafficked persons, primarily in Southeast and South Asia and the Pacific. Her work consistently emphasizes collaborative, rights-based approaches to sustainable social change.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• Funding from the Gerda Henkel Foundation
• Research funding from La Trobe University
• Co-convenor of the Political Geography group of the Australian Institute of Geographers (IAG)
• Editorial board member of Anti-Trafficking Review

Sallie actively supervises graduate research and conducts capacity-building training for governmental and non-governmental organizations on human trafficking and forced migration. She is involved in multi-sector research across construction, offshore fishing, and domestic work. She has led a major study on migrant fishing crew with colleagues Christina Stringer and Bec Strating, resulting in publications in Political Geography, Journal of Human Trafficking, and Marine Policy.

She is also engaged in professional networks including the Association of American Geographers (AAS), Southeast Asian Geographers Association (SEAGA), and the Institute of British Geographers (IBG).