Tamara Ownsworth

RESEARCH DIRECTOR, THE HOPKINS CENTRE

Career Profile

Professor Tamara Ownsworth is in a joint position between The Hopkins Centre (Research Director, Research Development) and the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University.

After her PhD she was a NHMRC Post-Doctoral Fellow (2002-2006) in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Queensland. She is an Executive Editor of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation and Past President and Fellow of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment. Her research interests broadly relate to psychosocial adjustment and rehabilitation of people with acquired neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury, brain tumour and stroke. She has a particular interest in the role of technology for improving access to rehabilitation and personalising interventions.

General research expertise:

Professor Ownsworth is a clinical neuropsychologist with >25 years of experience in rehabilitation and psychosocial intervention research for people with acquired brain injury, including traumatic brain injury, brain tumour, stroke and dementia. She completed a NHMRC Post-Doctoral fellowship (2002-2006) in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Queensland. She has been based in the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University since 2006. She is an Executive Editor of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation and Past President and Fellow of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment.

Current research area of interest:

Professor Ownsworth's research broadly spans three areas: psychosocial adjustment and rehabilitation after brain injury, supportive care for people with brain tumour and adjustment to ageing and dementia.

Examples of current or soon to be finalised projects include:

Evaluation of prospective memory rehabilitation for people with traumatic brain injury (Led by Prof Jenny Fleming and funded by NHMRC, in collaboration with Metro South Health)
Clinical utility of wearable devices for assessing emotional arousal and emotion regulation after brain injury (in collaboration with ABIOS and ABI-TRS)
Implementing a nationwide telehealth psychosocial support program for people with brain tumour and their families (funded by NHMRC and MRFF, in collaboration with the Cancer Council QLD and Metro South Health)

She has a strong interest in research on self-identity and is co-editing an upcoming special issue of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation on Self after Brain Injury.

Employment experience prior to becoming a researcher:

Prior to Professor Ownsworth's Post-Doc, she worked as a rehabilitation psychologist for the Brain Injury Association of Queensland. In this role, she conducted neuropsychological assessments, prepared lifetime care and support plans and delivered individual, group/peer support and family-based support programs. For her PhD, she evaluated the impact of a structured peer support program (Insights & Solutions) on self-awareness and psychosocial functioning for people with acquired brain injury. She continued to run this program for many years after her PhD.

Work inspiration:

Supporting people to find meaning in their life situation and realise their potential.
She enjoys bushwalking with her family, reading and listening to music.

Industry engagement:

Professor Ownsworth met monthly with multidisciplinary researchers from University of Tasmania, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, Murdoch Institute, Latrobe University and Summer Foundation as part of a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant and national collaboration to develop the Australian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Psychosocial Difficulties for Adults with Moderate-to-severe Traumatic Brain Injury. The draft guidelines have been circulated for public consultation.
Professor Ownsworth is part of the National Executive of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI), the peak national organisation for multidisciplinary professionals working in the field of brain impairment. She is also on the international committee for the Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Special Interest Group of the World Federation of Neurorehabilitation and will be Chairing the 2025 conference in Mooloolaba. She continues to serve as Executive Editor of the journal Neuropsychological Rehabilitation and Editorial Board Member of Brain Impairment.