Brenda Happell

Biography

Professor Brenda Happell is a registered nurse with specialist qualifications in mental health nursing. She has 28+ years’ experience in academia in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT. She has published more than 400 papers in the peer reviewed literature, three books and nine book chapters. Brenda has attracted approximately $14million in competitive research funding. She is an active researcher with a strong track record supervising higher degree students to successful and timely completion.

Brenda was the inaugural Director of the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing at the University of Melbourne, former Director of the Institute for Health and Social Science Research at Central Queensland University and Professor of Nursing and Executive Director of SYNERGY, Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre at University of Canberra and ACT Health. She is a Fellow and Board Director of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, and former Editor of the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing.

Brenda was also an inaugural member of the Queensland Mental Health and Drug Advisory Council.

Research

Her research interests include: consumer participation in mental health services, and physical health of people experiencing mental illness.