Professor Louise Hickson

As Associate Dean, External Engagement, Louise is responsible for providing strategic leadership of the Faculty’s external engagement activities. The portfolio encompasses domestic and international future student recruitment, advancement and alumni engagement, faculty-wide marketing and communications, global engagement and the development and maintenance of external partnerships. Louise works closely with UQ’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, External Engagement Mr Rongyu Li to ensure the Faculty engagement strategy is aligned with the UQ Strategic Plan (2018-2021).

Louise has an outstanding reputation for leadership and engagement both within and beyond UQ. Prior to joining the Faculty, Louise was Head of UQ’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. During her successful nine year tenure, Louise led the development of various significant new partnerships which propelled the School’s position as world leader in education and research in audiology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology. Most recently Louise played a key role in establishing the partnership between Metro North Hospital and Health Service and UQ to develop the Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service, which will be one of the largest tertiary specialist rehabilitation centres in the southern hemisphere.

Louise is a Professor of Audiology, ranked number one in Australia and fourth in the world in audiology research. She has 250 peer-reviewed publications, books and book chapters, an h-index of 30 and grant funding of over $6 million. Louise’s main research focus is on the effects of hearing impairment on people's everyday lives and the development of strategies and interventions that improve the uptake and outcomes of hearing rehabilitation.