Professor Emma Kirby
PhD (Sociology) University of Newcastle (Australia) 2009; BSc - Hons (Human Geography) Loughborough University (UK) 2003
Emma (she/her) is a Professor of Sociology and leader of The Care Lab in the School of Social Sciences. She is also the Associate Dean Societal Impact, Equity & Engagement for the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA), and Chairs the faculty's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She has previously held roles as a UNSW Scientia Fellow and an Australian Research Council DECRA in the Centre for Social Research in Health. She is interested in the sociology of health, illness, and care, and her research draws on a range of case studies to provide a critical sociological analysis of advanced illness and end of life care, mapping its character and significance. Her program of research comprises a series of projects focused on relationships in/and health care, health care practice, diversity and social justice.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Selected research funding:
1. Kirby, E., MacArtney, J. (2024-2026) Understanding the implications of pandemic delays for the end of life.
Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant [DP24010775] $343,081.
2. Kirby, E., Newman, C., Churchull, B., Smith, L., Strnadova, I. (2022-2025) When caring ends: Understanding and supporting informal care transitions.
Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant [LP220100209] $480,315
3. Broom, A., Wakefield, C., Kirby E., Khasraw, M., Kenny, E., Prainsack, B. (2019-2021) Precision and the Person: A sociological study of therapeutic innovation in cancer care. Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant [DP190100745] $470,650
4. Broom, A., Kirby, E., Davis, M., Dodds, S., Broom, J., & Post, J. (2017-2019) Navigating an uncertain antimicrobial future: a sociological study.
Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant [LP170100300] $318,473
5. Broom, A., Kirby, E., Kokanovic, R., Adams, J., Lwin, Z., Wyld, D., Koh, ES., de Souza, P., & Woodland, L. (2016-18) Cultural Biographies, Medical Knowledges: A sociological study. Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant [LP160100100] $210,000
6. Kirby, E. (2015-2017) Who cares? A sociological study of informal care at the end of life.
Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award [DE150100285] $372,000
7. Broom, A., Kirby, E., Yates, P., Seale, C., & Olliffe, J. (2015-2017) The changing landscapes of survivorship: A sociological study.
Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant [DP150100414] $359,700.
8. Broom, A., Kirby, E., Adams, J., Broom, J., & Looke, D. (2014-2017) Unintended consequences? A sociological study of how social relations influence decisions about antibiotics.
Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant [LP140100020] $172,117.
9. Broom, A., Adams, J., Yates, P., Kirby, E. (2012-2015) Pathways to and through palliative care: A sociological study of patient, carer and clinician experiences at end-of-life.
Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant [LP 120200268] $164,830.
10. Lwin, Z., Broom, A., Wyld, D., Kirby, E., Cubitt, A. (2014-2015) Understanding and improving social support amongst women with cancer: A qualitative study.
RBWH Foundation: The Weekend to End Women’s Cancers Diamond Care Grants, $100,000.
11. Lwin, Z., Broom, A., Good, P., Kirby, E., Geary, A. (2014) Understanding and Improving the communication experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse patients who are diagnosed with cancer: A qualitative study.
RBWH Foundation Research Initiative Grant, $60,000.
2018: UNSW Faculty of Arts & Social Science Dean's Award for Scholarly Impact [with Alex Broom, Katherine Kenny, Sophie Lewis, Stefanie Plage]
2014: University of Queensland Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Early Career Reseacher Award
Member: Editorial Board, Health Sociology Review (2015-present); Editorial Board, BMJ Open (2020-); Editorial Board, Palliative Care and Social Practice; BMC Palliative Care (2021-2024)
National Co-Convenor: Health Thematic Group, The Australian Sociological Association (2014-2016)
Co-Convenor: The Australian Sociological Association Conference, 2011, hosted by the University of Newcastle, NSW
Member: The Australian Sociological Association, 2005-present; The Association for the Study of Death & Society (2019-present)
My Research Supervision
Kacey Martin, Understanding Maori experiences of eating disorders in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australia: A sociological inquiry into Mauiui Kai across the Maori diaspora.
Felicity Johnson, Exploring trans* persons’ experiences of bereavement following the death of a person from their family.
Recent completions:
Nathan MacArthur: PhD, UNSW; Living after death: an exploration of the experiences of bereaved adults
Junel Padigos; PhD, University of Queensland; Nursing experiences of antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship in the intensive care unit
Kristen Overton: PhD, UNSW; A sociological study of antimicrobial use and resistance in India
Stefanie Plage: PhD, UNSW; Cancer through the eyes of survivors - a photo-elicitation study of people living with cancer
My Teaching
ARTS3870: Intimacy and Relationships: Social Perspectives, Critical Questions