Dr. Carmen Lawrence

Biography

Carmen Lawrence is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Western Australia and has a distinguished career in psychology and politics. She has trained as a psychologist and has lectured at various universities across Australia. Lawrence entered politics in 1986, where she served at both State and Federal levels for 21 years. During her tenure, she held significant positions such as the Minister for Education and Aboriginal Affairs, and she was the first female Premier and Treasurer of Western Australia. After transitioning to Federal politics in 1994, she was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives, appointed as Minister for Health and Human Services, and played an integral role as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Status of Women. In 2004, she became the national President of the Labor Party but retired from politics in 2007. Following her political career, Lawrence served as Director of the Centre for the Study of Social Change at the School of Psychological Science at UWA from 2010 to 2018. Her research focuses on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and encompasses policy development, political psychology, social conflict, and conservation psychology.

Research Interests