Susan Dodds

Biography

Professor Susan Dodds, FAHA, is Professor Emerita in Philosophy at La Trobe University.

From 2019 to 2024, she was Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research and Industry Engagement) and Professor of Philosophy at La Trobe University. Her research focusses on issues in applied ethics and political philosophy and she is recognised nationally and internationally for her leadership in research ethics and public policy development related to emerging medical technologies.

She is Deputy Chair of the Australian Research Council Board. In 2021 she was elected to the Australian Academy of the Humanities in 2022 and was elected to the Academy’s Council in 2023. She was a member of the panel that reviewed the ARC Act (2022-2023) and has been a member of the Australian Research Council Advisory Committee.

At La Trobe University, she provides strategic leadership and oversight of the University’s research and industry engagement activities, research excellence, the graduate research experience, research infrastructure, industry partnerships, research commercialisation and researcher support.

After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science at the University of Toronto, Susan came to La Trobe University to complete her PhD in philosophy. Her first full time academic position was as Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Wollongong and she has held senior leadership roles at the University of Tasmania and the University of New South Wales.

She is an active researcher. From 2014- 2021 she lead the ethics, policy and public engagement theme of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES). She has served on a number of national committees and served as the President of the Australasian Associate of Philosophy (2009) and later Chair of the Board of the Australasian Association of Philosophy 2015 -2020. She was the Chair of the Universities Australia Deputy Vice Chancellors (Research) Committee 2021-2023.