Dawn Freshwater

Professor Dawn Freshwater became the University of WA's 18th vice chancellor in 2017, having served as senior deputy vice chancellor in 2014. She leaves UWA in March 2020 following her appointment as the first female vice chancellor at the University of Auckland. Prior to joining UWA, Professor Freshwater was the pro-vice chancellor for staff and organisational effectiveness, professor of mental health, and head of the School of Healthcare at the University of Leeds. She received her doctorate at the University of Nottingham in 1998 and was elected to a Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing in 2001. She was also a panel member of UK's inaugural research excellence framework which assessed the impact and translation of research. Professor Freshwater’s research has focused on two key themes - psychological therapies research and offender health research. She is also a passionate champion of the Athena Swan initiative which aims to increase the number of women in senior academic positions.