Associate Professor Michelle Gander

Dean, People and Resources

College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

place Humanities (277)
GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia

I am an Associate Professor in Sociology and Dean (People & Resources) in the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences. I have extensive experience in leadership, online learning and academic administration. As Dean (People & Resources), I am responsible for organisational culture, wellbeing, work health and safety, and workload, with overall accountability for all things people related. As part of the leadership team, I am also responsible for strategy development and implementation, domestic and international student recruitment, and business development including working with the Colleges’ industry advisory board.

I hold a PhD in Management from Murdoch University in Perth. I have two Masters degrees, one in environmental science (wastewater treatment) and an MBA in higher education management. My Honours degree was also in Environmental Science.

I have taught various management topics from foundations of management and governance to organisational behaviour, and organisational design and culture. I have also taught under- and post-graduate research methods.

I am a leading researcher and acknowledged expert in the field of career management within higher education in Australia and the UK. I apply a sociological lens to career theory to extend thinking on how individuals establish and manage their careers within organisational structures and power relationships. I publish in top career journals including Gender, Work and Organisation (Q1 and ACBD = A), Career Development International (Q1 and ACBD = B), and Australian Journal of Career Development (ACBD = B).

My current research projects include: 1) evaluating a joint innovative VET/HE course for student outcomes and areas for improvement, 2) investigating the continued under-representation of women in the most senior roles in universities with a colleague at ECU in Perth, 3) understanding factors related to women changing career track in universities, 4) evaluating a student-alumni mentoirng program for enhanced employability outcomes.

Qualifications

PhD Managment, Murdoch University, Australia

MBA (Higher Education Management), Institute of Education, UCL, UK

MPhil Environmental Science, Cranfield University, UK

BSc (Hons) Environmental Science, University of London, UK

Honours, awards and grants

Fellow, Advance HE

Fellow, ATEM

Chartered Manager and Fellow, Institute of Managers and Leaders (ANZ)

Key responsibilities

Dean (People & Resources)

Chair, CHASS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group

Topic coordinator
HASS1001 Building Professional Pathways
HASS2001 Fundamentals of Project Management
Supervisory interests
Academic leadership and management
Career development
Gender equity
Higher education
Leaders and leadership
Mentoring
Sociology of work
Interests
  • careers
  • employability
  • gender equity
  • leadership