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SPARC team

The BSL Social Policy and Research Centre team includes staff who possess both international and national social policy and research experience.

We conduct research across a wide range of issues including climate and energy, disability, early years, education and training, housing and homelessness, income and social security, work and youth. The team also includes honorary research and policy associates, specialist social policy librarians and a research editor, as well as administrative staff.

Together we strive to create knowledge and build evidence that seeds new approaches to social policy, programs and practice that help shape a better future for people and communities experiencing poverty, inequity and social exclusion.

SPARC Leadership Team

  • Shelley Mallett Director, BSL Social Policy and Research Centre; Professorial Fellow in Social Policy, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne
    – Homelessness; youth transitions; gender and health inequities
  • Ismo Rama  Deputy Director
  • Joseph Borlagdan Principal Research Fellow, Youth Opportunity
    – Youth studies; homelessness; inequality; applied sociology; adaptive methodologies
  • Dina Bowman Principal Research Fellow, Work and Economic Security and Honorary Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne
    – Economic security; social security; financial wellbeing; work; poverty
  • Katy Cornwell Acting Head, Monitoring Evaluation and Learning
  • Kira Clarke Principal Research Fellow, Skills and Training
    – Youth transitions; vocational education & training (VET); post-compulsory education; practitioner research; initial teacher education; education policy
  • Damian Sullivan Principal, Climate Change and Energy
    – Climate change; energy affordability; energy efficiency; sustainability

    Specialist staff

    Researchers and policy advisors

    • Rory Anderson , Research Officer
      – Financial wellbeing
    • Aradhana Barua Research Officer
      – Inclusive education; HIPPY; quantitative research method
    • Sharon Bond Senior Research Officer
      – Youth transitions; career development; collaborative community services
    • Kelly Bowey , Policy Advisor
      – Social security; employment services; financial wellbeing
    • David Bryant  Senior Research Officer
      – Climate change; energy affordability; energy efficiency; sustainability
    • Reana Cazar , Senior Research Officer
    • Emma Chessell Project Manager
      – Energy efficiency; regulated markets; renewable energy
    • Liam Fallon Senior Research Officer
      – Employment; skills and training; disability supports
    • Tim Gilley, Senior Research Fellow
    • Christopher Hacon Senior Manager, Data and Reporting
      – Wealth and income inequality; data analysis
    • Ursula Harrison Research Fellow
      – Work; economic security; Life Chances Study
    • Victoria Johnson, Project Manager
      – Energy efficiency
    • Margaret Kabare Senior Research Officer
      – Women's economic security
    • David Longley  Senior Research Officer
      – Vocational education; skills and training; apprenticeships; 'clean' skills
    • Kaitlyn MacDonald Senior Program Officer
      – Program design and evaluation
    • Stuart Marshall Performance and Reporting Manager
    • Madeleine Morey  Senior Research Officer
      – Vocational education reform; social research methods
    • Tracey Pahor, Senior Research Officer
    • Jayne Pilkinton , Senior Manager, Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (Acting)
    • Emily Porter Senior Research Fellow
      – Financial inclusion; economic security; financial stress
    • Andrew Thies Senior Policy Advisor
      – Future of work; disability employment
    • Andrew Wallace Data and Reporting Analyst