Associate Research Fellow
Jennifer is an Associate Research Fellow at the ACBRD. She is also an enrolled PhD candidate at Deakin University (2020); her topic is ‘Supporting health professionals to provide support for diabetes distress’.
Since joining the Centre in 2011, Jennifer’s research has focused on the psychological well-being of adults with diabetes, and barriers and enablers to screening for emotional problems in routine diabetes care. She is currently working on research, training, and tools to better support health professionals with identifying and addressing diabetes-related emotional problems.
From 2012 to 2016, Jennifer was co-ordinator of the four-year National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) Mental Health and Diabetes National Development Programme. Among the many resources and reports produced, one of Jennifer’s key achievements was co-authoring ‘Diabetes and Emotional Health: A handbook for health professionals supporting adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes’. From July 2016 to June 2017, Jennifer divided her time between co-ordination of the NDSS Mental Health and Diabetes National Priority Area, and co-ordination of the Centre’s research on the psychological impact of ‘closed loop’ technology. From July 2017 to end-2019, she continued to co-ordinate the latter, which is part of a JDRF/ARC-funded national, multi-centre randomised controlled trial led by A/Prof David O’Neal (University of Melbourne). Jennifer also has a strong interest in cultural diversity. In 2008, she was awarded a Bachelor of Health Science with first class Honours by Deakin University.
T: +61 (0)3 8648 1846
