Dr Kirsten Macaitis

Dr Kirsten Macaitis is a Research Fellow within the Transfer Science Division at JBI and the University of Adelaide. She is an experienced researcher and educator whose interdisciplinary work bridges sociology, social policy, youth studies, and cultural analysis with applied evidence-based practice. At JBI, Kirsten supports the development and transfer of evidence-based resources through knowledge translation strategies and stakeholder engagement. She collaborates with local and international partners to align evidence with practice needs, contributing to global health outcomes through applied research.

Kirsten has contributed to multiple research initiatives in both academic and policy settings, including evaluations of the Cashless Debit Card Program, Indigenous housing and homelessness, disability inclusion training, and domestic violence. She brings extensive experience in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, with a particular focus on the social and structural dimensions of marginalised groups, young people, public health, spirituality, and identity formation.

Kirsten has held academic and leadership roles in higher education for over a decade. She is passionate about the role of sociology in informing ethical, inclusive, and transformative professional practice. In addition to teaching across diverse subjects including gender, ethics, and social theory, she has also supported research capacity-building through supervision, academic support programs, and curriculum development. Her current research interests include restorative pedagogies, the ethics of care, and culturally responsive evidence translation, and remains committed to exploring how social research can influence systems change and reflective practice in policy, health, and education.