Associate Professor Verna Blewett

I have had extensive experience in OHS projects (research and consultancy) over nearly 30 years. My work in OHS started as the OHS Manager for a Commonwealth Government agency with 18,000 staff, so I have an in-depth understanding of OHS in the public sector.

Since then I have worked in many industries, including the three tiers of government, the service sector, health, manufacturing, mining and transport.

I work collaboratively with other researchers and consultants in the same or related fields from inside and outside the university.

Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia

Member: Industrial Relations Society of South Australia

Member: Regulatory Institutions Network

PhD, University of Adelaide, 2000

Master of Business Administration, University of Adelaide, 1992

Master of Public Health (Occupational Health), University of Sydney, 1988

Bachelor of Science, University of Adelaide, 1982

• I joined the Centre for Sleep Research in 2008. As Associate Professor in Occupational Health and Safety I conduct research and consultancy projects is a wide range of areas in OHS, including the design of work systems, physical ergonomics and workplace redesign, the management of change using tools such as strategic planning, Future Inquiry, Future Search, and benchmarking. I have worked in policy development at national and state level, reviewed legislation and regulation and conducted research using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• My PhD investigated the role of workers in organisational change.