Background

A/Prof Stephen Bell is a senior social scientist, advisor and international development research consultant with 23 years’ experience tackling global health challenges in settings across South-East Asia, Africa, Western Pacific and Europe. He works respectfully with not-for-profits, public institutions, businesses and community organisations, using innovative, inclusive, people-centred approaches to identify sustainable solutions to critical health challenges and accelerate health equity.

As Principal Research Fellow and ‘Theme Lead - Social Science and Global Health’, Steve’s role includes: 

• Research on young people's sexual, reproductive and maternal health, including adolescent-responsive health services and systems, contraceptive innovation, safe abortion, enabling socio-structural environments, and the intersections of health and climate change;
  
  
• Providing methodological expertise, technical support and mentoring in social science, co-design and community-based, community-led research practice to global health projects and business development across working groups and programs;
  
  
• Supporting a growing regional network of youth research, advocacy and thought leadership hubs across Asia and the Pacific;
  
  
• Managing and delivering consultancy, advisory and research work for institutional partners.

Steve’s work brings together lived experience, socio-ecological systems thinking and social theory to understand what works (or not) in global health and social development. He has researched and published widely on HIV, sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, neglected tropical diseases, TB and Indigenous health. He is particularly interested in understanding the socio-structural determinants of health and social inequities, and injustices associated with marginalisation due to gender, sexuality, age and geography. He has published two edited collections on interpretive and community-led approaches in research, design, monitoring and evaluation: ‘Peer research in health and social development: international perspectives on participatory research’ (2021), and ‘Monitoring and evaluation in health and social development: interpretive and ethnographic perspectives’ (2016). Steve is currently taking on new PhD students who are interested in undertaking research in any of these areas, so please do reach out to him for a chat.

He holds associate professorial appointments at Melbourne University, UNSW Sydney and The University of Queensland, and is a Member of the International Editorial Board at Culture, Health & Sexuality. Steve has served as a Senior Advisor to the Boston Consulting Group, and has worked in senior research and consultancy roles with international governments, NGOs, UNAIDS, UNFPA and WHO.

Qualifications

• 2009: PhD in Global Health and Sustainable Development, University of London, UK
• 2003: MA in Environment and Development (with Distinction), University of London, UK
• 2000: BA Hons. in Human Geography, University of Leeds, UK

Appointments

• Honorary Principal Fellow, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne (2024 – present)
• Adjunct Associate Professor, Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, UNSW Sydney (2023 – present)
• Research Consultant, Strategy and Insights Department, Population Services International (2023 – present)
• Senior Advisor, Global Health Consulting and Strategy, Boston Consulting Group (2023)
• Honorary Associate Professor, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland (2022 – present)
• Adjunct Associate Professor, UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney (2022 – 2023)
• Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney (2015-2021)

Positions

• Sep 2023-present: Principal Research Fellow, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Australia
• 2021-2022: Associate Professor, UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Queensland, Australia
• 2015-2021: Senior Research Fellow, Global Health Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Australia
• 2013-2015: Research Fellow, Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Australia
• 2012-2013: Senior Technical Advisor – Research, M&E and Social Development, Options Consultancy Services, UK
• 2011: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sussex, UK
• 2010-2012: Director, Bell & Payne Research & Consulting, UK
• 2007-2010: Research Manager, Social Research Institute, Ipsos MORI, UK
• 2003-2007: Assistant Lecturer, Centre for Developing Areas Research Group, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK
• 2001: Peer Educator – HIV and SRH, Restless Development, Zimbabwe

Awards

• 2020-2021: UNSW Bridging Fellowship, Faculty of Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney
• 2019: Australasian Sexual Health Conference Sexual Health Society of Victoria Best Poster Award
• 2011: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Economic and Social Research Council, UK
• 2003-2007: PhD Studentship, Economic and Social Research Council, UK
• 2003: ‘Alan Mountjoy’ Prize - best independent dissertation on international development (2003)
• 2002-2003: MA Scholarship, University of London, UK

Publications

Books

• Bell, S, Aggleton, P & Gibson, A (eds.) (2021) Peer research in health and social development: International perspectives on participatory research, Routledge, London
• Bell, S & Aggleton, A (2016) Monitoring and evaluation in health and social development: Interpretive and ethnographic perspectives, Routledge, London 

Book chapters

• Aeno, H, Mitchell, E, Ase, S, Nake Trumb, R, Selon, P, Kelly-Hanku, A, and Bell, S (2023) ‘Socio-structural influences on young men’s experiences of sex, pregnancy and pregnancy prevention in PNG’, in Kelly-Hanku, A, Aggleton, P and Malcolm, A (Eds.) Sex and gender in the Pacific. Contemporary perspectives on sexuality, gender and health, Routledge, London, pp109-122
• Bell, S, Aggleton, P and Gibson, A (2021) “Peer research in health and social development: understandings, strengths and limitations”, in Bell, S, Aggleton, P & Gibson, A (eds.) (2021) Peer research in health and social development: International perspectives on participatory research, Routledge, London, pp3-19
• Bell, S and Aggleton, P (2016) “Interpretive and ethnographic perspectives – alternative approaches to monitoring and evaluation practice”, in Bell, S & Aggleton, A (eds) Monitoring and evaluation in health and social development: Interpretive and ethnographic perspectives, Routledge, London, pp 1-14
• Bell, S (2007) “The child drums and the elder dances?” Girlfriends and boyfriends negotiating power relations in rural Uganda, in Panelli, R, Punch, S and Robson, E (Eds) Global perspectives on rural childhood and youth. Young rural lives. Routledge, London, pp179-192
• Robson, E, Bell, S and Klocker, N (2007) Conceptualising Agency in the Lives and Actions of Rural Young People, in Panelli, R, Punch, S and Robson, E (Eds) Global perspectives on rural childhood and youth. Young rural lives. Routledge, London, pp 135-148
• Punch, S, Bell, S, Costello, L and Panelli, R (2007) Power and place for rural young people, in Panelli, R, Punch, S and Robson, E (Eds) Global perspectives on rural childhood and youth. Young rural lives. Routledge, London, pp 205-218

Technical reports and policy briefs

• Bryant, J., Bolt, R, Martin K, Beadman, M., Graham S, Doyle M, Treloar C, Bell S, Murphy D, Newman C , Browne A, Beetson K, Brooks M, Wilms J, Leece B, Stanbury L, Botfield JR, Davis B, Aggleton P (2023). What we do well: Recommendations report for the project Fostering the sexual well-being of Aboriginal young people by building on social, cultural and personal strengths and resources’. Sydney: UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health.
• Bryant, J., Bolt, R, Martin K, Beadman, M., Graham S, Doyle M, Treloar C, Bell S, Murphy D, Newman C , Browne A, Aggleton P, Beetson K, Brooks M, Wilms J, Leece B, Stanbury L, Botfield JR, Davis B (2023) What do strengths-based sexual health approaches look like for Aboriginal young people? Perspectives from staff who design and deliver them. Sydney: UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health.
• Blaxland, M., Bryant, J., Gardner, K., Beadman, M., Bolt, R., Doyle, M., Graham, S., Newman, C. E., Murphy, D., Bell, S., Beetson, K., Wilms, J., & Penning, K. (2020). Rapid qualitative assessment of COVID-19 health needs in urban Sydney Aboriginal communities: report 1. Sydney: UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health.
• Blaxland, M., Bryant, J., Gardner, K., Beadman, M., Bolt, R., Doyle, M., Graham, S., Newman, C. E., Murphy, D., Bell, S., Beetson, K., & Wilms, J. (2021). Rapid qualitative assessment of COVID-19 health needs in urban Sydney Aboriginal communities: report 2. Sydney: UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health.
• Bryant, J., Bolt, R., Blaxland, M., Gardner, K., Beadman, M., Doyle, M., Graham, S., Newman, C. E., Murphy, D., Bell, S., Beetson, K., & Wilms, J. (2021). Perspectives of COVID vaccines among Aboriginal people living in western Sydney in Sydney. UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health, Sydney.
• Kelly-Hanku, A and Bell, S (2019) From HIV self-testing to haus dur community-based HIV testing. Review of evidence from low to middle-income countries and stakeholder acceptability of new HIV testing models to reach key populations in Papua New Guinea. UNFPA/UNAIDS, 2019
• Bell, S and Gunuratnam, P, on behalf of STRIVE investigators (2016) Sexually Transmissible Infections in Remote communities: improved and Enhanced primary health care (STRIVE), Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney
• Bell, S, De Wit, J et al. (2016) HIV Testing Services: Analysis of guidelines and perceptions of practice across the WHO European Region Summary Report, UNSW Sydney
• Bell, S, De Wit, J et al. (2016) Policy briefing - HIV post-test practices: An online survey examining perceived delivery of HIV test results, post-test discussion and referral in healthcare settings across the WHO European Region, UNSW Sydney
• Bell, S, De Wit, J et al. (2016) Policy briefing - HIV pre-test practices: An online survey examining perceptions of informed consent and pre-test information delivery in health care settings across the WHO European Region, UNSW Sydney
• Bell, S, De Wit, J et al. (2016) Policy briefing - Delivery of HIV test results, post-test discussion and referral in health care settings: A review of guidance for European countries, UNSW Sydney
• Bell, S, De Wit, J et al. (2016) Policy Briefing - Delivery of HIV pre-test information: A review of guidance relevant to the WHO European Region, UNSW Sydney
• Bell SA, Treloar C (2014). Evidence-based practice in HIV, STI and Viral hepatitis health promotion and Aboriginal community engagement. An Evidence check. Sydney, NSW: Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Australia
• Deborah Thomas, Stephen Bell, Kapil Dahal, Rachel Grellier, Chhaya Jha, Sitaram Prasai, Hom Nath Subedi (2012) Voices from the Community: Access to Health Services. A Rapid Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research (PEER) Study. Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal
• Bell, S and Aggleton, P (2012) Practitioner briefing - Social influences on young people’s sexual health in Uganda, University of Sussex
• Bell, S and Aggleton, P (2012) Practitioner briefing - Using ethnography in monitoring and impact evaluation – a new approach, University of Sussex
• Bell, S and Aggleton, P (2012) Practitioner briefing - Young people and sexual agency in rural Uganda, University of Sussex
• Bell, S and Aggleton, P (2012) Practitioner briefing - Counterpublic health programming with sexually active young people, University of Sussex
• Bell, S and Payne, R (2011) Girl Hub: A State of the Nation report about girls in Rwanda. DfID/Girl Hub, Nike Foundation