Michelle is a public health researcher known for her ability to facilitate action-oriented research in a culturally respectful way for positive health outcomes. She achieves this by facilitating participatory, decolonising public health research with Pacific Islander and Indigenous Australian peoples that is sensitive to culture, spirituality and gender. Michelle has worked in the Pacific (Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea) and in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities for over 20 years. 

Michelle has taught community development, social policy and research subjects, and facilitated public health research with universities in Australia, PNG and Solomon Islands for over 10 years. Michelle previously worked as a social worker/community development worker in hospital and community health settings, facilitating community development, health promotion, health worker training, and national and international NGO management (including support of refugees). 

During her NHMRC-funded PhD research, Michelle explored the implications of male circumcision practices with women in PNG, including women's risk of HIV transmission. 

For more information about the Solomon Islands research, please visit: Atoifi Research Home Page

For more information about the LEAP project, see: NHMRC LEAP Study

For more information about the WOMB project, see: NHMRC WOMB Study

On Twitter Michelle shares about the Pacific, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, action research, sexual and reproductive health and poetry/arts-based research, see: @shelmaclaren

Interests

Research

• Participatory action research
• Decolonising research
• Research capacity strengthening
• Pacific peoples health
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
• Social and cultural determinants of health

Experience

• 2008 to present - Senior/Research Officer, James Cook University (Cairns)
• 2006 to 2009 - Casual Lecturer/Tutor, James Cook University (Cairns)

Research Disciplines

• Public Health and Health Services (1117)
• Specialist Studies in Education (1303)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Public Health (9204)
• Indigenous Health (9203)
• Clinical Health (9201)

Awards

• 2016 - Dean’s List for Excellence, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine) 2016.
• 2016 - Distinguished Friend of Pacific Adventist University, Papua New Guinea.
• 2013 - PhD Category Award winner (awarded $2,500). ‘So you think you can research?’ North Queensland Festival of Life Sciences

Memberships

• 2018 - Fellow, The Cairns Institute
• 2017 - Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
• 2017 - Health Systems Global
• 2016 - Australian Association for the Advancement of Pacific Studies
• 2010 - International Association for Community Development
• 2009 - Reconciliation Queensland Inc
• 2006 - Action Learning & Research Association, Australia and New Zealand
• 2004 - Australian Association of Social Workers
• 2012 to 2016 - Australasian Society for HIV Medicine
• 2012 to 2015 - Tropical Research Network
• 2009 to 2015 - Public Health Association Australia

Other

• 2017 - Adjunct Academic, Centre for Indigenous Health Equity Research, CQUniversity Australia
• 2012 to 2015 - Doctor of Philosophy: Implications of male circumcision for women in Papua New Guinea, including for HIV prevention. College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University
• 2002 to 2007 - Master of Social Work (Community Development and Human Service Management), University of Queensland
• 1990 to 1993 - Bachelor of Social Work (Major: Community Work), University of Queensland

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Asugeni R, Redman-MacLaren M, Asugeni J, Esau T, Timothy F, Massey P and MacLaren D (in press) A community builds a ‘bridge’: an example of community-led adaptation to sea-level rise in East Kwaio, Solomon Islands. Climate and Development Journal,
• Campbell S, McCalman J, Redman-MacLaren M, Canuto K, Vine K, Sewter J and McDonald M (2018) Implementing the Baby One Program: a qualitative evaluation of family-centred child health promotion in remote Australian Aboriginal communities. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 18 (73).
• Heyeres M, McCalman J, Langham E, Bainbridge R, Redman-Maclaren M, Britton A, Rutherford K and Tsey K (in press) Strengthening the capacity of education staff to support the wellbeing of Indigenous students in boarding schools: a participatory action research study. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education,
• Marks M, Esau T, Asugeni R, Harrington R, Diau J, Toloka H, Asugeni J, Ansbro E, Solomon A, MacLaren D, Redman-MacLaren M and Mabey D (2018) Point-of-care tests for syphilis and yaws in a low-income setting: a qualitative study of healthcare worker and patient experiences. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 12 (4).
• Marks M, Toloka H, Baker C, Kositz C, Asugeni J, Puiahi E, Asugeni R, Azzopardi K, Diau J, Kaldor J, Romani L, Redman-MacLaren M, MacLaren D, Solomon A, Mabey D and Steer A (in press) Randomised trial of community treatment with azithromycin and ivermectin mass drug administration for control of scabies and impetigo. Clinical Infectious Diseases,
• McPhail-Bell K, Matthews V, Bainbridge R, Redman-MacLaren M, Askew D, Ramanathan S, Bailie J and Bailie R (2018) An ‘all teach, all learn’ approach to research capacity strengthening in Indigenous primary health care continuous quality improvement. Frontiers in Public Health, 6.
• Redman-MacLaren M, Barrington D, Harrington H, Cram D, Selep J and MacLaren D (2018) Water, sanitation and hygiene systems in Pacific Island schools to promote the health and education of girls and children with disability: a systematic scoping review. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 8 (3). pp. 386-401
• Heyeres M, McCalman J, Bainbridge R and Redman-Maclaren M (2017) Staff capacity development initiatives that support the well-being of Indigenous children in their transitions to boarding schools: a systematic scoping review. Frontiers in Education, 2. pp. 1-10
• McCalman J, Bainbridge R, Redman-Maclaren M, Russo S, Rutherford K, Tsey K, Ungar M, Wenitong M and Hunter E (2017) The development of a survey instrument to assess Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ resilience and risk. Frontiers in Education, pp. 1-13
• Redman-MacLaren M, Mills J, Tommbe R, MacLaren D, Speare R and McBride W (2017) Implications of male circumcision for women in Papua New Guinea: a transformational grounded theory study. BMC Women's Health, 17.

Book Chapters

• Lynn R and Redman-MacLaren M (2017) Knowledge development and translation through action learning and action research: a 'learning conference' experience. In: Conferences as Sites of Learning and Development. Taylor and Francis, Abingdon, UK, pp. 86-98
• O'Dwyer S, McDonough S, Jefferson R, Goff J and Redman-Maclaren M (2017) Writing groups in the digital age: a case study analysis of Shut Up & Write Tuesdays. In: Research 2.0 and the Impact of Digital Technologies on Scholarly Inquiry. Advances in Knowledge Acquisition, Transfer, and Management (AKATM). IGI Global, Hershey, PA, USA, pp. 249-269

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Transition from Girlhood to Womanhood: Experiences of Adolescent Females in Papua New Guinea. (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• How can Cultural Resilience Enhance Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Experiencing Grief and Loss during Chronic Illness? (Masters , Primary Advisor)
• Barriers and Enablers to using Contraceptives for Family Planning at Atoifi Hospital, East Kwaio, Malaita Province (Masters , Primary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.