Cathy Vaughan

Professor Cathy Vaughan is Director of the Nossal Institute for Global Health and Chair of Global Health at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne. Cathy has worked as a researcher and practitioner in diverse settings in Asia, the Pacific, and with populations experiencing health inequalities in Australia, for over 25 years. Her current research focuses on the impact of intersecting inequalities on health, and in particular on the ways intersecting inequalities shape experiences of gender-based violence and the effectiveness of violence prevention and response initiatives. This includes a particular focus on technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Asia and the Pacific, and on strengthening responses to violence against migrant and refugee women, and women of faith, in Australia.

Cathy has extensive experience using qualitative and participatory research methods to work with groups including migrant and refugee women, women with disability, faith communities and young people to generate evidence about the social and structural underpinnings of health. She uses her expertise in co-design approaches to work with community groups, NGOs and government departments to strengthen the use of research in the development, implementation and evaluation of health programs in settings across Asia and the Pacific.

Cathy has taught into the Master of Public Health program at The University of Melbourne since 2011, coordinating subjects on participatory research methodologies and community engagement, and on women's health. She also currently co-leads the kNOwVAWdata course to strengthen capacity to conduct safe, ethical and rigorous research on violence against women in low and middle income countries; is a Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Women's Health; and leads the Co-Design and Consumer Involvement node of the Methods and Implementation Support for Clinical and Health research hub (MISCH) at the university.