Dr Hien Thi Nguyen is a Research Fellow at the Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab within the School of Arts and Humanities and serves as Project Manager for the international Decentering Migration Knowledge (Demiknow) Project.
Background
Hien is a core member of the ECU Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab. She is actively involved in the ECU TRACS Migration Research Network. In her role with the Decentering Migration Knowledge (DEMIKNOW) Project, Hien leads the Australian Research Component on Transnational Grandparent Migration. Hien is currently co-conveners of TASA’s Ageing and Sociology Thematic Group and the ECU SAGE Lab’s Annual Research Forum on Ageing.
With over 16 years of experience as a mixed-methods researcher, Hien has been involved in over 50 research and development projects, leading five as the Chief Investigator. Her expertise extends across ageing and wellbeing, diversity, migration, gender, and development with engagement spanning international development organizations, government bodies, and UN agencies.
Hien’s academic and development practice journey began in 2007 as a network and project coordinator for the Gender and Community Development Network (GENCOMNET) in Vietnam. She later transitioned to a research role at the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs (ILSSA) under the Vietnam Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA) since 2009.
In 2013, Hien was awarded the Australian Award Scholarship (AAS) and Leadership Award Scholarship (ALA), enabling her to pursue a Master of Development Studies (Gender and Development) at the University of Melbourne. Subsequently, she secured two full PhD scholarships from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and the University of Western Australia (UWA). She chose to do her PhD in Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work at UWA since 2019 with an inquiry on the impact of mobility on late-life course transitions and older-age wellbeing of Vietnamese migrant grandparents in Australia. In 2023, Hien commenced the position of Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the ECU SAGE Lab.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Hien is a dedicated women’s rights advocate and development practitioner, committed to translating research findings into actionable solutions.
Research areas and interests
Migration and diversity
Hien’s exploration of migration and diversity builds upon her previous research endeavours on Vietnamese migrant domestic workers, and current projects, including ageing and aged care experience of Vietnamese migrants in Australia, and Decentering Migration Knowledge (DEMIKNOW). In these projects, Hien delves into examining the opportunities and challenges faced by migrants, particularly older migrants, throughout their international migration journey. Hien ALSO sheds light on the asymmetrical dynamic of care exchange and relations during care visits of Vietnamese migrant (grand)parents.
Ageing Across the Life Course
Collaborating with the ECU SAGE Lab team, Hien has been investigating the impact of social support networks on older individuals who face challenges in their mobility and the dispersion of their familial, social, and care networks. Drawing from her research on Vietnamese older migrants, she has contributed to the development of novel concepts such as digital kinning and digital homing, highlighting the significance of innovative technologies in supporting ageing, mobility, preserving social and cultural identity, and promoting social care.
Ageing and wellbeing
Hien is engaged with research and interventions to prevent and reduce social frailty progression among older migrants with CALD backgrounds. She is leading research examining Vietnamese migrants’ perceptions of successful ageing, identifying actionable elements to foster positive and healthy ageing practices within the transnational context.
Gender and Development
Hien’s engagement in gender and development spans various projects, encompassing research on gender and marriage ideologies in contemporary Vietnam; gender equality and the political empowerment of women in South and South-East Asia, and regional organizations, gender equality and the political empowerment of Women. Hien is keen on employing gender perspectives into her research on ageing, migration, diversity, and wellbeing.
Community Development
With a strong commitment to community development, Hien has collaborated extensively with local non-profit organizations in Vietnam and Australia, focusing on initiatives related to promoting positive ageing experiences among CaLD populations, domestic violence prevention and control, women’s empowerment, childcare and protection, domestic workers, female migrant workers. Hien actively involved in various roles, including volunteering at Chung Wah Community Care (CWCC), holding the positions of Vice President and President of UWA Vietnamese Students Association and Vice President of Vietnam Student Association in Western Australia (VISAWA).
Teaching and Supervision
Demonstrating her proficiency in mentoring, Hien welcomes opportunities to supervise master’s and PhD students with research interests in migration, ageing and wellbeing, ICT and New Media, social care, diversity, women’s studies, community development, and gender and development. Prospective students are encouraged to reach out to Hien to discuss their research interests and scholarship applications.
Professional associations
- The International Migration Research Network (IMISCOE)
- The International Sociological Association (ISA)
- The Australian Sociological Association (TASA)
- International Women’s Rights & Actions Watch (IWRAW Asia Pacific), Malaysia
- Just Associates, Southeast Asia
- ECU Centre for Research in Aged Care (CRAC)
- ECU TRACS Migration Research Network
- WA Sociology Out West Association
- Gender Action Partnership in Vietnam (GAP)
Awards and recognition
Hien has received numerous awards and recognition for her excellence in research and community development.
National and International awards
- 2023 - HDR/ECR scholarships to attend 20th International Congress of Sociology in Melbourne June 25th – 1st July 2023, ISA Research Committee 31 and TASA
- 2022 - Postgraduate Travel Awards, Graduate Research School, UWA
- 2022 - Award for students with outstanding achievements in academics and student movements, Vietnamese Consulate General in Perth
- 2020 - PhD scholarship, Fifth Annual Australian Social Network Analysis Conference
- 2020 - Award for students with outstanding achievements in academics and student movements, Vietnamese Consulate General in Perth
- 2019-23 - PhD Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset Scholarship & UWA Postgraduate Awards (Stipend), UWA
- 2018-21 - Full PhD Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship, RMIT (refused)
- 2015 - Honour student selected for doing a Minor Thesis on Understanding Gender & Marriage Ideologies in Contemporary Vietnam, University of Melbourne
- 2014-15 - Australia Leadership Awards (ALA), Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT)
- 2014-15 - Australian Awards Scholarship (AAS), DFAT to pursue a Master of Development Studies (Gender & Development) at the University of Melbourne
- 2011-13 - Master scholarship for neighbouring countries, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand (refused)
- 2009 - SIDA scholarship, 18-month training course on Human Rights Towards Gender Equality, Uppsala University & Sipu International in Sweden
