Dr. Amy Mclennan

Biography

I am a social researcher and educator committed to improving human health. I gravitate towards topics that are resistant to being addressed using a scientific approach alone—perhaps because they are new, old, unquantifiable, taboo, complex, or dynamic. My undergraduate training was in medical sciences and French, which was followed by doctoral and postdoctoral training in medical anthropology at the University of Oxford, one of the world's leading anthropology departments. My work focuses on chronic disease, gender, and food technology, reaching a wide range of academic journals and influencing government policies and global media, including outlets like The Guardian, ABC, and BBC Radio. As an Associate Professor at the ANU College of Systems and Society, I am establishing the chronic health co-lab aimed at forging new, cross-disciplinary futures for chronic disease and illness. I am also an experienced ethnographic researcher with a background in biomedical research, focusing on non-communicable diseases, food, chronic illness, and health technology. Additionally, I have served as a policy analyst for the federal Australian government, working on collaborative projects that span multiple agencies, particularly in areas like women's safety and technology procurement. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, I strive to teach students how to navigate complex topics with rigor and creativity, while keeping a sense of humor. I have designed and facilitated high-profile cross-disciplinary workshops across various global cities.

Research Interests