Joanne is a Professor of Psychology and Mental Health and a core member of ECU’s Centre for Precision Health (CPH).
Background
Professor Joanne Dickson joined Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) School of Arts & Humanities (SAH) in 2016. She was awarded her PhD in 2003 at the University of London, in the United Kingdom (UK). Joanne’s PhD was supported by two prestigious PhD scholarships from Royal Holloway College, University of London. For several years she held academic posts at two Russell Group Research Universities (UK) including the University of London, Birkbeck College (BBK), followed by the University of Liverpool before returning to Perth, WA.
Joanne’s main research interest focuses on promoting mental health and improving people’s quality of life. Over several years, Joanne’s research has studied the nature of mental wellbeing and mental health difficulties (e.g., depression, anxiety), from the perspective of personal motivation, future-directed thinking, and emotional regulation, as these psychological processes are fundamental to human experiences. Her research has identified favourable psychological processes that promote mental wellbeing as well as processes implicated in exacerbating mental health difficulties. Based on her research body of findings, more recent research has focused on developing interventions to promote personal wellbeing and to alleviate emotional distress.
Professional Associations
- 2021 - present. The Scientific Research Honor Society (Sigma Xi) - member
- 2021 - present. Society for the Science of Motivation (APA) - member
- 2020 - present. Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) - member
- 2020 - present. American Psychological Association (APA), USA - member
- 2020 - present. International Society for Non-Suicidal Self-Injury - member
- 2019 - present. International Society for the Study of Individual Differences - member
- 2016 - present. Association of Psychological Sciences, USA - member
- 2015 - 2023. International Human Affectome Project, Taskforce - member
- 2020 - 2023. WA Mental Health Covid 19 Research Panel - Panel member
- 2016 - 2020. WA Mental Health Research Alliance, Steering Committee - member
- 2004 - present. Australian Psychological Society (MAPS) - member
- 2004 - present. British Psychological Society (2004 CPsychol; 2010 AFBPsS) - member
Awards and Recognition
University and National Teaching awards
- 2021. Joint Winner of the Engagement in Research Award. ECU, SAH
- 2019. Outstanding Public Highly Commended for Outstanding Public Engagement, ECU
National and International Research awards
- 2016 - 2019. Awarded Honorary Research Fellowship & Subject Expert, Mersey Care NHS Trust, UK
- 2014. Sustained Academic Excellence & Service Award. University of Liverpool, UK
- 1998 - 2002. Royal Holloway College, University of London, 2 Year PhD Overseas Scholarship
- 1998 - 2002. Royal Holloway College, University of London, 3 Year PhD Scholarship
- 1996. Swinburne University, Melbourne, Student Honour’s Research Prize in Psychology
Other
- 2023. ECU representative on the West Australian (WA), State Department of Health, Parliamentary Round Table, Infant Child and Adolescent Mental Health (iCAMH) in WA.
- 2020-2022. ECU representative on the West Australian (WA), State Department of Health, Mental Health Research Strategy & Advisory Group.
- 2019. Invited Visiting Research Scholar, University of Exeter, Psychology Department, UK
- 2019. Invited Visiting Research Scholar, University of Hertfordshire, Department of Psychology and Sports Science, UK
- 2018. Invited Visiting Research Scholar – University of Exeter, UK
- 2017. Invited Visiting Research Scholar, University of Liverpool, Department of Psychological Sciences, UK
- 2017. Invited Visiting Research Scholar, University of Manchester, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, UK
- 2017. Invited Visiting Research Scholar. Liverpool Hospital, Hope Clinic, Mersey Care NHS Trust, UK
- 2016 Awarded Honorary Research Fellow, University of Liverpool, UK
- 2014 - 2016. Elected Co-Chair of the British Psychological Society (BPS), Research Section, Group of Trainers in Clinical Psychology, UK.
- 2012. Invited Visiting Research Scholar – University of Rochester, USA.
- 2008 - 2011. Elected Co-Chair of the British Psychological Society (BPS), Research Section, Group of Trainers in Clinical Psychology, UK.
International Editorial Roles
- 2020 - present. Editorial Board (Editor, Mental Health Section): International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health (Q1 journal)
- 2011 - present. Scientific Committee, International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT)
- Regular Ad Hoc expert peer reviewer for several high impact psychology journals.
Expert Reviewer, International Research Councils
- 2022 - present. Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Expert Review Panel
- 2021 - present. Medical Research Council (MRC), UK.
- 2020 - present. European Science Foundation (ESF; expert panel).
- 2020 - present. British Academy/Leverhulme, UK.
- 2014 - present. National Institute for Health Research (NIHR; expert panel)
- 2014 - present. Fund for Scientific Research, FRS-FNRS, Belgium (expert panel)
- 2013 - present. The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NOW; expert panel)
- 2013. Royal Society, New Zealand (Marsden Fund)
- 2009. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
- 2006. Economic Social Research Council, ESRC (2006).
Research areas and interests
- Leads a collaborative international research team in CPH’s Systematic Profiling in Neurological Conditions (SPIN) program. This research has developed a self-managed intervention called SAVOUR to assist people living with neurological conditions to maintain and improve positive mood.
- Lead of an international research project focused on suicide prevention and improving mood.
- Ongoing collaborations with ECU psychology and health researchers, as well as other national and international collaborations.
- Joanne has supervised over 40 postgraduate students to successful completion.