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Professor Caroline Homer AO

Deputy Director – Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; Co-Head, Global Women's and Newborn Health; Co-Head, Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening
Caroline Homer AO
Background

Professor Caroline Homer AO is the leading midwifery researcher in Australia and has an international reputation as a scholar and leader in maternal and newborn health care and service delivery.

She obtained her PhD in 2001 and since then has led research and development projects in Australia and internationally especially in relation to health services delivery, reproductive, maternal and newborn care, human resources for health workforce development and midwifery education. She has more than 30 years of experience in the sector – as a clinician, educator, researcher and leader.

Listen to Professor Homer on Episode 6 of our How Science Matters Podcast below.

Qualifications
  • 2008: MMedSc (Clin Epi), University of Sydney, Australia
  • 2001: PhD, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
  • 1997: MNurs, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Appointments
  • Advisory Board Member, Franklin Women (2024-current)
  • Co-Chair, Australian Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing National Expert Advisory Group, Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy and Postnatal Care (2023-current)
  • Chair, NHMRC Council (2021-2026), Member (2018-2021) Ministerial appointment
  • Deputy Chair (2021-2023); Acting Chair (2025-current) Australian Medical Research Advisory Committee (AMRAB) for the Medical Research Future Fund
  • Inaugural Chair, WHO's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts (STAGE) for Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health, and Nutrition (2020-current) - appointed by the WHO Director General
  • Member: WHO’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) for the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (2020-2025)
Awards
  • 2024: Princess Srinagarindra Award under Royal Patronage from the Thai Royal Family. This award has been established in honor of Her Royal Highness the late Princess Srinagarindra Mahidol who was the mother of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great of Thailand (King Rama IX). The Award is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards in the country.
  • 2023: Frank Fenner Award
  • 2022: NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn Investigator Grant Award
  • 2022: Honorary Fellowship, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
  • 2019: Women’s Hospitals Australasia – Medal of Distinction
  • 2017: Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Awards
  • 2013: Australian College of Midwives’ Inaugural Writing Prize named the Caroline Homer Writing Prize in acknowledgement of contribution to academic writing and publication on the midwifery profession
  • 2013: Awarded Life Membership of Australian College of Midwives (NSW Branch)
  • 2012: UTS Alumni Award for Excellence 2012 - Faculty of Health
  • 2011: Winner: Researcher Development (including Supervision) Award. UTS Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Research Excellence.
Positions
  • 2022: Deputy Director – Gender Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Burnet Institute
  • 2018-2022: Co-Program Director, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, Burnet Institute
  • Co-Head, Global Women’s and Newborn Health group, Burnet Institute
  • Co-Head, Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening group, Burnet Institute
  • Visiting Professorial roles: University of Technology Sydney, Monash University, Deakin University and the University of Melbourne, Australia, Cardiff University Wales, UK, King’s College London, UK