Professor Sally Brinkman’s research aims to improve the healthy development and early learning of young children, with a focus on those living in highly disadvantaged communities. Her research is conducted across Australia, as well as countries in Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Emirates. Sally works in close partnership with international governments and donor organisations, such as the World Bank, UNICEF, and UNESCO.
Brinkman’s expertise includes population monitoring to determine the prevalence, distribution and magnitude of inequality in child outcomes and pragmatic randomised control trials to evaluate the impact and cost effectiveness of interventions. Brinkman’s research has had significant global and... Read more
About me
Professor Sally Brinkman’s research aims to improve the healthy development and early learning of young children, with a focus on those living in highly disadvantaged communities. Her research is conducted across Australia, as well as countries in Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Emirates. Sally works in close partnership with international governments and donor organisations, such as the World Bank, UNICEF, and UNESCO.
Brinkman’s expertise includes population monitoring to determine the prevalence, distribution and magnitude of inequality in child outcomes and pragmatic randomised control trials to evaluate the impact and cost effectiveness of interventions. Brinkman’s research has had significant global and local impact and is highly relevant for the disciplines of early education, community development, population health and development economics.
Brinkman regularly advises government and sits on numerous Expert Advisory Groups informing policy and practice. With over 200 publications, including high impact journals such as The Lancet, and her track record in achieving highly translatable research, Sally is well recognised nationally and internationally in both academic and policy environments.
About me
Member, International Society for Global Health
Member, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Global Working Group.
Member, Human Development Intervention Network
Member, Lower and Middle Income Country Intervention Network
Member, International Society for Child Indicators (ISCI)
Member, Australian Research Association of Children and Youth (ARACY).
Member, Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA).
About me
Doctor of Philosphy University of Western Australia
Masters of Public Health University of Adelaide
Bachelor of Arts Flinders University
2006-2022, Program Head, International Child Development, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia
2007-2008, Scientific Officer, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
2001-2006, Coordinator, Epidemiology and Research, North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS), Population Health Unit. Western Australia.
2001 Principal Researcher, Elder Market Research. Western Australia.
2000-2001, Senior Research Manager, Right Marketing Australia, Western Australia.
1999-2000, Research Associate, Curtin University of Technology, National Drug Research Institute, Western Australia.
1992-1999, Scientific Officer/Epidemiologist, South Australian Health Commission.
1994-1996, Project Manager, University of Adelaide, Department of Community Medicine, South Australia.
Research
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Self Regulated Learning RCT, Department for Education, 19/06/2023 - 31/12/2029
Rapid Response Evidence Review + extension , Department for Education, 01/07/2024 - 30/06/2025
Genetic Education Research Data Infrastructure (GERDI): Proof of Concept, Department for Education, 20/06/2023 - 30/06/2025
Causal Inference in the AEDC - analysis of impact of ECEC attendance on Child Development for Playgroup Australia, Playgroup Australia, 23/07/2024 - 31/01/2025
Self Regulation Measurement, Department for Education, 07/06/2023 - 06/06/2024
Improving Student Outcomes: Exploring the Diagnostic Value of WEC Items in Education, Department for Education, 13/11/2023 - 29/02/2024
AEDC Analyses - Settlement Services, SETTLEMENT SERVICES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, 03/04/2023 - 30/11/2023
Playgroups and Child Development: Update, Playgroup Australia, 07/07/2023 - 31/10/2023
Rapid-Response Evidence Reviews – Metacognition Part 2, Department for Education, 01/06/2023 - 15/08/2023
Rapid-Response Evidence Reviews – Metacognition Part 1, Department for Education, 01/06/2023 - 07/07/2023
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2025 |
Open access
2
|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
Open access
1
|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
Open access
12
10
21
|
| 2023 |
Open access
2
1
37
|
| 2023 |
3
1
2
|
| 2022 |
Open access
5
3
73
|
| 2022 |
1
|
| 2022 |
13
13
1
|
| 2022 |
Open access
9
1
|
| 2022 |
Open access
30
57
|
| 2022 |
Open access
4
3
|
| 2021 |
Open access
8
7
11
|
| 2021 |
Open access
7
4
4
|
| 2021 |
Open access
18
15
2
|
| 2021 |
Open access
9
8
8
|
| 2020 |
Open access
9
9
16
|
| 2020 |
Open access
9
9
9
|
| 2020 |
Open access
17
17
4
|
| 2020 |
Open access
6
6
8
|
| 2020 |
10
10
4
|
| 2020 |
Open access
11
10
4
|
| 2019 |
2
16
|
| 2019 |
Open access
19
17
10
|
| 2019 |
Open access
32
2
|
| 2019 |
Open access
20
12
4
|
| 2019 |
Open access
15
12
3
|
| 2019 |
Open access
5
6
1
|
| 2018 |
Open access
163
155
135
|
| 2018 |
Open access
49
9
|
| 2018 |
26
25
128
|
| 2018 |
Open access
28
16
|
| 2018 |
34
18
51
|
| 2017 |
Open access
23
20
22
|
| 2017 |
Open access
19
21
7
|
| 2017 |
Open access
20
17
3
|
| 2017 |
Open access
45
37
5
|
| 2017 |
Open access
10
9
18
|
| 2017 |
Open access
64
58
76
|
| 2017 |
38
35
|
| 2017 |
Open access
46
46
|
| 2017 |
5
3
6
|
| 2017 |
Open access
29
30
12
|
| 2017 |
Open access
9
7
14
|
| 2016 |
42
35
1465
|
| 2016 |
Open access
65
66
3
|
| 2016 |
31
30
|
| 2016 |
59
50
89
|
| 2016 |
18
16
56
|
| 2016 |
117
107
56
|
| 2016 |
Open access
15
14
1
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
|
| 2024 |
|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike | NIGERIA |
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences | INDIA |
| Anglia Ruskin University | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Australian Catholic University | AUSTRALIA |
| Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | UNITED STATES |
| Center for Healthy Development | AUSTRALIA |
| Centre for Healthy Start Initiative | NIGERIA |
| Charles Sturt University | AUSTRALIA |
| Curtin University | AUSTRALIA |
| Department for Education | UNITED KINGDOM |
| East Metropolitan Health Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Edith Cowan University | AUSTRALIA |
| European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) | AUSTRIA |
| Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) | BRAZIL |
| Flinders University | AUSTRALIA |
| Free University of Amsterdam | NETHERLANDS |
| Gadjah Mada University | INDONESIA |
| Griffith University | AUSTRALIA |
| Harvard University | UNITED STATES |
| Ifo Institute | GERMANY |
| Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz | GERMANY |
| Johns Hopkins University | UNITED STATES |
| Korea University | KOREA, REPUBLIC OF (SOUTH) |
| London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | UNITED KINGDOM |
| McMaster University | CANADA |
| Menzies School of Health Research | AUSTRALIA |
| Monash University | AUSTRALIA |
| Murdoch Childrens Research Institute | AUSTRALIA |
| National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health | UNITED STATES |
| National University of Colombia | COLOMBIA |
| Neuroscience Research Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| New South Wales Ministry of Health | AUSTRALIA |
| Nims spectrum | INDIA |
| niversity of Notre Dame | UNITED STATES |
| Northampton General Hospital | UNITED KINGDOM |
| NSW Department of Education and Training | AUSTRALIA |
| NSW Department of Family & Community Services | AUSTRALIA |
| NSW Department of Family and Community Services Ag | AUSTRALIA |
| NSW Ministry of Health | AUSTRALIA |
| Princeton University | UNITED STATES |
| Queensland University of Technology | AUSTRALIA |
| RMIT University | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Australasian College of Physicians | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Children’sHospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Children's Hospital | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria | AUSTRALIA |
| Schizophrenia Research Institute | AUSTRALIA |
| Settlement Services International | AUSTRALIA |
| South Australian Department of Education and Child Development | AUSTRALIA |
| South Australian Education Department | AUSTRALIA |
| Stellenbosch University | SOUTH AFRICA |
| Telethon Kids Institute | AUSTRALIA |
| Telethon Kids Institute, Subiaco, WA | AUSTRALIA |
| The World Bank | ETHIOPIA |
| Tufts University | UNITED STATES |
| Tunku Abdul Rahman University (Malaysia) | MALAYSIA |
| UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital | UNITED STATES |
| University at Buffalo, State University of New York | UNITED STATES |
| University of Adelaide | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Bristol | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of British Columbia | CANADA |
| University of California San Francisco | UNITED STATES |
| University of Canberra | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Canterbury | NEW ZEALAND |
| University of Groningen | NETHERLANDS |
| University of Jordan | JORDAN |
| University of Kelaniya | SRI LANKA |
| University of Koblenz | GERMANY |
| University of Melbourne | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Michigan | UNITED STATES |
| University of Montreal | CANADA |
| University of New England | AUSTRALIA |
| University of New South Wales | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Newcastle | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Oxford | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of Sao Paulo | BRAZIL |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Southern Queensland | AUSTRALIA |
| University of the Witwatersrand | SOUTH AFRICA |
| University of Waterloo | CANADA |
| University of Western Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Wollongong | AUSTRALIA |
| Wesley Mission Queensland | AUSTRALIA |
| World Bank | AZERBAIJAN |
| World Bank Group | UNITED STATES |
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| Creating contextually relevant professional development programmes in culturally diverse LMICs and interventions that benefit educators and positively impact child development outcomes | Current |
| Developing a system approach to assessing quality in playgroups | Current |
| Effectiveness of supported playgroup models in promoting child development and parental empowerment for families with children aged birth to three years | Current |
| Exploring the impact of AI dialogic agents on high school students wellbeing | Current |
| Navigating the Leap: Wellbeing Trends in South Australian Students Transitioning from Primary to Secondary Education | Current |
| Scaling Quality and Compliance in Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Low-Resource and Fragile Contexts: A Systems-Level Analysis | Current |
