Researcher profile

Professor Bindi Bennett

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, Office of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise)

Areas of expertise: cultural responsiveness; Aboriginal wellbeing; trauma; human-animal bond

HDR Supervisor accreditation status: Full

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0111-4670

Email: bindi.bennett@acu.edu.au

Location: ACU Brisbane Campus

Bindi is a Gamilaraay academic. Her interests include Aboriginal peoples, Cultural responsiveness, trauma, and the human-animal bond. Prior to her appointment with ACU, Bindi was a senior social worker with experience in the fields of child and adolescent mental health, schools, and health.

Select publications

• B Bennett, J Zubrzycki, V Bacon (2011), 'What do we know? The experiences of social workers working alongside Aboriginal people,' Australian social work 64 (1), 20-37
• B Bennett, S Green, S Gilbert, D Bessarab, Our voices: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social work. Palgrave Macmillan
• B Bennett, J Zubrzycki, 'Hearing the stories of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers: Challenging and educating the system,' Australian Social Work 56 (1), 61-70
• B Bennett (2015), '“Stop deploying your white privilege on me!” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement with the Australian Association of Social Workers,' Australian Social Work 68 (1), 19-31
• B Bennett, H Redfern, J Zubrzycki, 'Cultural responsiveness in action: Co-constructing social work curriculum resources with Aboriginal communities,' British Journal of Social Work 48 (3), 808-825
• T Fernando, B Bennett, 'Creating a culturally safe space when teaching Aboriginal content in social work: A scoping review,' Australian Social Work 72 (1), 47-61
• B Bennett, 'The importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history for social work students and graduates,' Our voices: Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander social work, 1-25
• B Bennett, TG Gates, 'Teaching cultural humility for social workers serving LGBTQI Aboriginal communities in Australia,' Social Work with Minority Groups, 47-60
• Z Su, D McDonnell, X Li, B Bennett, S Šegalo, J Abbas, et al, 'COVID-19 vaccine donations—vaccine empathy or vaccine diplomacy? A narrative literature review,' Vaccines 9 (9), 1024
• S Green, B Bennett, S Betteridge, 'Cultural responsiveness and social work-a discussion,' Social Alternatives 35 (4), 66-72

Projects

• 2023: Australian Research Council Indigenous Discovery (IN230100002), Utilising Simulation to develop culturally responsive social workers ($751, 596)
• 2020: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Building emancipatory practice and theory: Indigenous and anti-oppressive perspectives in international, decolonizing dialogue ($343,915)
• 2020: QLD Corrections, Developing an evidence-informed and culturally safe treatment program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males convicted of sexual offences ($245,000)
• 2019: USC First Year grants, Enhancing First Year Social Science Students' Well-being, Empowerment, Learning Outcomes and Retention by Enabling Professional Identity and Transformative Agency (TAFFY), (A181183). USC ($30,000)
• 2018: Australian Research Council Discovery Indigenous (IN180100023), Cultural responsiveness: measuring and evaluating social work practice ($373,754)
• 2017: Recipient of an Endeavour Indigenous Scholarship, Investigating the use of horses in therapy ($27,500)
• 2016: ACU learning and teaching, Indigenous curriculum leadership ($30,000)
• 2015: ACU Faculty of Health Sciences New Unit funding, Developing specific resources for SWTP 318 Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ($11,000)

Accolades and awards

• 2019 University of Sunshine Coast: Vice-Chancellor and President’s Award for Excellence in Research (Early Career Researcher) for 2019.
• 2017 Endeavour Indigenous Scholarship Award.
• 2016 FHS Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Learning and Teaching (Early Career) for ’the provision of expertise in Indigenous curriculum development in social work by improving specialized resources, developing assessment tools, case studies and a dedicated Indigenous unit’.
• 2015 Australian Social Work most read article: Bennett, B. (2015). “Stop Deploying Your White Privilege on Me!” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement with the AASW. Australian Social Work, 58(1), 19-31.
• 2011 Norm Smith Award for Research Publication in Social Work for publication: Bennett, B., Zubrzycki, J., Bacon, V. (2011). 'What do we know? The experiences of social workers working alongside Aboriginal people.' Australian Social Work, Special Edition, Social Work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Vol. 64, No.1, 20-37.

Appointments and affiliations

• 2022 August-present: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, Level E, Australian Catholic University.
• 2021-2022: Associate Professor First Nations Health, Level D, Bond University
• 2018-2021: Senior Lecturer, Level C, University of Sunshine Coast
• 2016-2018: Lecturer, Level B, University of Sunshine Coast
• 2015-2016: Lecturer Level B, ACU

Editorial roles

Australian Social Work Journal Special Editor 2022
Australian Social Work Special Editor 2023

Grant agency review panel

Reviewer Australian Research Grants Indigenous 2017-present