Paula McDonald
- Chief Investigator (Human-Robot Workforce program)
- Queensland University of Technology
Paula McDonald is Professor of Work and Organisation and Associate Dean, Research in the QUT Business School. She is also visiting Professor at Queen Mary University London. Since completing her PhD in 2004, Paula has worked closely with organisations in the public, private and community sectors on collaborative research which advances social justice in and beyond the workplace. Her research addresses:
- technology and work (including digital platforms, social media, automation and AI);
- youth education to work transitions;
- vulnerable and disadvantaged worker groups;
- customised/flexible work and public/private boundaries;
- gendered dimensions of work (including pay equality, notions of merit, everyday sexism)
- workplace discrimination (including sex discrimination, sexual harassment)
Paula has published over 100 academic journal articles, books, chapters and industry reports in these fields. She has been awarded 8 Australian Research Council grants including a Future Fellowship from 2013-16; five as lead investigator.
Paula’s research has had demonstrable impact via expert testimony, workplace training, commissioned research reports, media engagement, submissions to government inquiries, membership on steering committees, and public speaking engagements. Her research was selected for submission to Excellence in Research Australia 2018 in Field of Research code 15 and was ranked ‘high’ in this process.
Paula’s experience in higher education governance is reflected in her election and appointment to key university-level committees including QUT Council (2017-21); University Research and Innovation Committee (2019-current); University Academic Board (2020-21); University Human Research Ethics Committee (2007-11); Academic Misconduct panels (2007; 2017); Research Degrees Committee (2011-12); ERA Research Quality groups (2015; 2018); and the University Promotions Committee (2011-12).
Paula is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2016). Prior to an academic career (pre-2004), Paula held clinical and research roles in child and adolescent psychiatry, medical education and public health. She is a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Agency since 2003 and a senior fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy since 2016.
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