Dr Lewis is a specialist in body image and appearance concerns in adults, adolescents and children and its impact on their well-being and mental health. She is a practicing clinician, seeing adults and adolescents with eating disorders as well as other mental health concerns.NATSEM director takes on full-time research role
17 June: Professor Ann Harding, founding director of the University of Canberra's National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), is to take on a full-time research position with the University.
Professor Harding will take up her personal chair as professor of applied economics and social policy on 1 July. The news of the appointment comes as the International Microsimulation Association named Professor Harding its president for a third term and announced it would move its headquarters to the University.
It also reflects the further investment by the University in pursuit of its vision of establishing a world-class research centre of excellence in microsimulation, following the University's success in December last year in attracting funding to support this goal from the Federal Government's Higher Education Endowment Fund.
Professor Harding said she was delighted to be able to relinquish the heavy administrative load associated with being director of a large research centre and to devote herself more fully to her passion for applied research.
"I am proud to have established NATSEM at the University of Canberra as an internationally-renowned centre in microsimulation, and now I look forward to my new challenge of returning to my roots as a researcher," she said.
"These are exciting times at the University of Canberra. Our research is growing in terms of funding, profile and output, so I'm pleased to be able to take a more hands-on role."
Professor Harding established NATSEM at the University of Canberra in 1993. The centre gives policymakers a vital glimpse into the current and future impact of policy change, by modelling the social and economic impacts of policy changes.
University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Parker said:
"Ann Harding is recognised as one of the world's leading authorities on social and economic modelling.
"As we embark on a new phase of research growth, I am delighted to have a researcher of Professor Harding's calibre as a distinguished research professor. Her new role will be to foster research and mentor our new generation of emerging researchers.
"Social and economic modelling at the University of Canberra has never been stronger: work is due to start soon on a new $11 million International Microsimulation Centre, which will house NATSEM and the headquarters of the International Microsimulation Association."
Professor Parker announced an international search for a new director of NATSEM was under way.
