Professor Loretta Baldassar.
International Women's Day is held annually in March and this year ECU is embracing the United Nations theme March Forward – for all women and girls.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Clare Pollock launched the March celebrations with a powerful message, highlighting ECU's unique legacy as the only Australian university named after a woman—trailblazing reformer Edith Cowan.
'Edith's fearless advocacy for women's rights, education, and social justice created lasting change," Professor Pollock said. "That same bold vision lives on in the work of ECU's researchers today."
In that spirit, we spotlight three ECU researchers whose groundbreaking work is driving progress toward gender equity.
Professor Loretta Baldassar: Transforming care for a changing world
Professor Loretta Baldassar exemplifies the March Forward theme of International Women's Day 2025 through her groundbreaking research on social care, ageing, and migration. As leader of ECU's Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab, she is transforming the way we understand care across the life-course, advocating for inclusive, community-driven support systems.
Professor Baldassar's work investigates the experiences of diverse and migrant communities, digital inclusion, and the role of arts-engagement in fostering wellbeing. A pioneer in migration studies, Professor Baldassar co-founded key research networks and international collaborations, ensuring that care policies reflect the realities of today's globalised world.
Her leadership extends beyond academia, influencing industry and government to create more equitable care systems. Through her commitment to social change and collaboration, Professor Baldassar is driving forward a vision of care that empowers individuals at every stage of life.
Associate Professor Naomi Godden: Championing social and climate justice
Associate Professor Naomi Godden.
Associate Professor Naomi Godden is a leading feminist participatory action researcher, social justice advocate, and environmental activist.
As a Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow and Australian Research Council DECRA recipient at ECU's Centre for People, Place and Planet, she works at the intersection of gender and intersectionality, climate, First Nations, and rural social justice.
With 20 years of experience across Australia and internationally, Associate Professor Godden collaborates with grassroots communities in research and activism that drives systemic change, from local grassroots communities to global forums.
Her work embodies the 2025 International Women's Day theme, March Forward, by championing gender equity, climate resilience justice, and community empowerment.
Through research, advocacy, and leadership, Associate Professor Godden is paving the way for a just and sustainable future.
Professor Lennie Barblett AM: Shaping the future of early childhood education
Professor Lennie Barblett AM is a renowned researcher and educator dedicated to advancing early childhood education. Based in ECU's School of Education, her work focuses on play-based learning, quality curriculum, teaching standards, and early childhood policy—shaping national and international best practices.
Professor Barblett's impact extends beyond academia. In 2021, she received the Engagement Australia Excellence Award for her role in the Better Beginnings initiative, a partnership between ECU and the State Library of WA that has strengthened family literacy programs statewide.
Professor Barblett's expertise is widely sought after in policy development, serving on national education panels and contributing to leading academic journals. With a PhD from ECU and leadership in over 35 major research projects, she continues to drive innovation in early learning frameworks and child wellbeing studies.
Professor Barblett's is also a member of the ECU Athena SWAN Charter Committee (ECUASCC), whichECU has established and endorsed Terms of Reference for as a gender-balanced Steering Committee to lead the University's participation in the Science in Australia Gender Equity Limited (SAGE) Athena Swan Charter in Australia.
As ECU continues its legacy of bold, transformative research, these three remarkable women are leading the charge for gender equity, social change, and educational excellence - truly embodying the spirit of March Forward.
