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Associate Professor Rebecca Olson
Associate Professor

Rebecca Olson

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 53493

Overview

Background

Rebecca Olson is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Queensland, cutting-edge translational qualitative researcher, mentor and award-winning educator with expertise in the sociologies of health and emotions. As Director of SocioHealthLab, she leads an interdisciplinary collective of researchers, health professional educators and practitioners interested in doing health and healthcare differently: more socially aware, more relational, more inclusive and more just. As Director of Teaching and Learning in the School of Social Science, she prioritises collaborative, reflexive, creative and emotions-centred practices in higher education. With over 75 scholarly publications – as well as news media and creative video productions – Rebecca is a prolific contributor to public debate. With research interests spanning medicinal cannabis and health professions education to climate anxiety, Olson is internationally renowned for bringing sociological insight to complex challenges related to emotions, wellbeing, healthcare and caregiving.

Availability

Associate Professor Rebecca Olson is:
Not available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Australian National University

Research interests

  • Emotions, Methodology, Healthcare and Education

    Emotions play a key role in how we experience and interact with the everyday world. Olson’s research intersects the sociology of emotions and the sociology of health & illness. Her work seeks to understand emotions and their importance to health and healthcare, with topics ranging from parents management of climate anxiety, to medicinal cannabis and wellbeing in advanced cancer contexts, Interprofessional practice, and higher education teaching and learning, including health professional education. Olson has a specific interest in innovative, participatory qualitative methodologies, such as video-reflexive ethnography and critical reflexive ethnography. This allows her to work collaboratively with health specialists and educators in ways that encourage greater insight into the minutiae of everyday healthcare and education practices. Recently, she has used these approaches to investigate: • Emotionally reflexive labour in palliative care and interprofessional practice • Socio-emotional aspects of cigarette smoking and lung cancer screening • Patient perspectives toward medicinal cannabis policy and it’s efficacy • Discourses of emotion and feedback in health professional education • Biopsychosocial approaches to physiotherapy and the work-readiness of graduate physiotherapists

Research impacts

With over a decade of experience as a teaching and research academic, Olson has a strong track record of higher degree research supervision, innovative teaching and learning scholarship and high impact research published in a range of top academic outlets such as Social Science & Medicine, Medical Education and Qualitative Health Research.

With competitive funding from NHMRC, ARC, Arthritis Australia, and Cancer Australia, Olson uses innovative sociological theory in the study of interprofessional and informal palliative care, biopsychosocial approaches in physiotherapy, medicinal cannabis treatment and policy, and emotions and reflexivity in higher education teaching and learning. Her research innovatively applies participatory methods such as video reflexive methodology, to enable collaborative, theory-informed research that invites health professionals – established and pre-licensure – to reflect upon and refine their practice.

Across all domains of her research, Olson advocates for the democratisation of research practices through participatory and reflexive approaches to knowledge production that promote social justice in healthcare.

Works

Search Professor Rebecca Olson’s works on UQ eSpace

145 works between 2009 and 2025

1 - 20 of 145 works

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Emotionally reflexive labour in end-of-life communication

Olson, Rebecca E., Smith, Alexandra, Good, Phillip, Neate, Emily, Hughes, Cody and Hardy, Janet (2020). Emotionally reflexive labour in end-of-life communication. Social Science and Medicine, 291 112928, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112928

Emotionally reflexive labour in end-of-life communication

Featured

2020

Journal Article

A post-paradigmatic approach to analysing emotions in social life

Olson, Rebecca E., Bellocchi, Alberto and Dadich, Ann (2020). A post-paradigmatic approach to analysing emotions in social life. Emotions and Society, 2 (2), 157-178. doi: 10.1332/263169020x15893854268688

A post-paradigmatic approach to analysing emotions in social life

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Gendered emotion management and teacher outcomes in secondary school teaching: A review

Olson, Rebecca E., McKenzie, Jordan, Mills, Kathy A., Patulny, Roger, Bellocchi, Alberto and Caristo, Fiona (2019). Gendered emotion management and teacher outcomes in secondary school teaching: A review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 80, 128-144. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2019.01.010

Gendered emotion management and teacher outcomes in secondary school teaching: A review

Featured

2019

Book

Emotions in late modernity

Roger Patulny, Alberto Bellocchi, Rebecca E. Olson, Sukhmani Khorana, Jordan McKenzie and Michelle Peterie eds. (2019). Emotions in late modernity. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781351133319

Emotions in late modernity

Featured

2015

Book

Towards a sociology of cancer caregiving: time to feel

Olson, Rebecca E. (2015). Towards a sociology of cancer caregiving: time to feel. Surrey, United Kingdom: Ashgate.

Towards a sociology of cancer caregiving: time to feel

2025

Journal Article

Justice in health? Studying the role of legal support in a culturally responsive mental health service in Australia

Plage, Stefanie, Olson, Rebecca E., Costa, Nathalia, Mescouto, Karime, Suleman, Sameera, Zulfiqar, Asma, Setchell, Jenny and Prasad-Ildes, Rita (2025). Justice in health? Studying the role of legal support in a culturally responsive mental health service in Australia. Qualitative Health Research, 35 (4-5), 418-432. doi: 10.1177/10497323251315435

Justice in health? Studying the role of legal support in a culturally responsive mental health service in Australia

2025

Journal Article

Navigating uncertainty in low back pain care through an ethic of openness: Learnings from a post-critical analysis

Costa, Nathalia, Olson, Rebcca, Dillon, Miriam, Mescouto, Karime, Butler, Prudence, Forbes, Roma and Setchell, Jenny (2025). Navigating uncertainty in low back pain care through an ethic of openness: Learnings from a post-critical analysis. Health. doi: 10.1177/13634593241310383

Navigating uncertainty in low back pain care through an ethic of openness: Learnings from a post-critical analysis

2025

Journal Article

Political economies of distress in chronic low back pain care

Dillon, Miriam, Olson, Rebecca, Plage, Stefanie, Miciak, Maxi, Window, Peter, Stewart, Matthew, Kilner, Simon, Barthel, Natalie, Christoffersen, Anja and Setchell, Jenny (2025). Political economies of distress in chronic low back pain care. Emotion, Space and Society, 54 101069, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101069

Political economies of distress in chronic low back pain care

2025

Journal Article

Non-clinical psychosocial mental health support programmes for people with diverse language and cultural backgrounds: A critical rapid review

Costa, Nathalia, Olson, Rebecca, Mescouto, Karime, Setchell, Jenny, Plage, Stefanie, Dune, Tinashe, Creese, Jennifer, Suleman, Sameera, Prasad-Ildes, Rita and Ng, Zheng Yen (2025). Non-clinical psychosocial mental health support programmes for people with diverse language and cultural backgrounds: A critical rapid review. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry e0252982. doi: 10.1007/s11013-024-09893-1

Non-clinical psychosocial mental health support programmes for people with diverse language and cultural backgrounds: A critical rapid review

2025

Journal Article

(Un-)Protocoling post-qualitative childhood research: a novice researcher

Zheng, Zhaoxi, Olson, Rebecca E., Staton, Sally and Setchell, Jenny (2025). (Un-)Protocoling post-qualitative childhood research: a novice researcher. Children's Geographies, 23 (1), 1-19. doi: 10.1080/14733285.2025.2454576

(Un-)Protocoling post-qualitative childhood research: a novice researcher

2025

Journal Article

Improvising end-of-life with young children: death/s and its absolute

Zheng, Zhaoxi, Olson, Rebecca E. and Staton, Sally (2025). Improvising end-of-life with young children: death/s and its absolute. Mortality, 1-21. doi: 10.1080/13576275.2025.2451078

Improvising end-of-life with young children: death/s and its absolute

2025

Book Chapter

Managing and Leveraging Emotions for Teaching and Learning: Gendered Perspectives

Hill, J. L., Henderson, S., Bellocchi, A. and Olson, R. (2025). Managing and Leveraging Emotions for Teaching and Learning: Gendered Perspectives. Encyclopedia of Educational Innovation. (pp. 1-6) Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-2262-4_338-1

Managing and Leveraging Emotions for Teaching and Learning: Gendered Perspectives

2025

Journal Article

Relational approaches to conceptualising, measuring and enacting wellbeing and care in palliative and end-of-life contexts

Maslen, Sarah, Olson, Rebecca E. and Collier, Aileen (2025). Relational approaches to conceptualising, measuring and enacting wellbeing and care in palliative and end-of-life contexts. Health Sociology Review, 34 (1), 1-7. doi: 10.1080/14461242.2025.2461335

Relational approaches to conceptualising, measuring and enacting wellbeing and care in palliative and end-of-life contexts

2025

Journal Article

Corrigendum to “Political economies of distress in chronic low back pain care” [Emotion Space Soci. 54 (2025) 101069](S1755458625000064)(10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101069)

Dillon, Miriam, Olson, Rebecca, Plage, Stefanie, Miciak, Maxi, Window, Peter, Stewart, Matthew, Kilner, Simon, Barthel, Natalie, Christoffersen, Anja and Setchell, Jenny (2025). Corrigendum to “Political economies of distress in chronic low back pain care” [Emotion Space Soci. 54 (2025) 101069](S1755458625000064)(10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101069). Emotion, Space and Society 101083, 101083. doi: 10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101083

Corrigendum to “Political economies of distress in chronic low back pain care” [Emotion Space Soci. 54 (2025) 101069](S1755458625000064)(10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101069)

2025

Journal Article

I'm not ‘fake rural’: rural student negotiation of identity and place in medical school

Shepherd, Nicole, Wilson Gray, Romy, Hu, Wendy, Hyde, Sarah, Partanen, Riitta, Pena, Alexia, Walters, Lucie and Olson, Rebecca (2025). I'm not ‘fake rural’: rural student negotiation of identity and place in medical school. Sociologia Ruralis, 65 (1) e12473. doi: 10.1111/soru.12473

I'm not ‘fake rural’: rural student negotiation of identity and place in medical school

2024

Book Chapter

Afflexivity in post-qualitative inquiry: prioritising affect and reflexivity in the evaluation of a health information website

Setchell, Jenny, Olson, Rebecca, Turpin, Merrill, Costa, Nathalia, Barlott, Tim, O'Halloran, Kate, Wigginton, Britta and Hodges, Paul (2024). Afflexivity in post-qualitative inquiry: prioritising affect and reflexivity in the evaluation of a health information website. Progressing Critical Posthuman Perspectives in Health Sociology. (pp. 105-120) edited by Kim McLeod and Simone Fullagar. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003498896-8

Afflexivity in post-qualitative inquiry: prioritising affect and reflexivity in the evaluation of a health information website

2024

Other Outputs

Justice in Health? Studying the role of legal support in a culturally responsive mental health service in Australia

Plage, Stefanie, Olson, Rebecca, Costa, Nathalia, Mescouto, Karime, Suleman, Sameera, Zulfiqar, Asma, Setchell, Jen and Prasad-ildes, Rita (2024). Justice in Health? Studying the role of legal support in a culturally responsive mental health service in Australia. LCC Working Paper Series. 2024-24. Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland Australia. doi: 10.14264/6fb8ac3

Justice in Health? Studying the role of legal support in a culturally responsive mental health service in Australia

2024

Book Chapter

Measuring wellbeing: a critical rapid review of scales used in advanced cancer contexts

Smith, Alexandra, Olson, Rebecca, Cuerton, Maddison, Khalil, Keesha Abdul, Good, Phillip and Hardy, Janet (2024). Measuring wellbeing: a critical rapid review of scales used in advanced cancer contexts. Researching contemporary wellness cultures. (pp. 63-79) edited by Naomi Smith, Clare Southerton and Marianne Clark. Leeds, United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing. doi: 10.1108/978-1-80455-584-220241005

Measuring wellbeing: a critical rapid review of scales used in advanced cancer contexts

2024

Journal Article

Valuing emotions and reflecting on group work: a ‘metalogic’ approach to teaching research methods in a university course

Olson, Rebecca E., Raymond, Stephanie and Smith, Alexandra (2024). Valuing emotions and reflecting on group work: a ‘metalogic’ approach to teaching research methods in a university course. Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 10 100991, 100991. doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.100991

Valuing emotions and reflecting on group work: a ‘metalogic’ approach to teaching research methods in a university course

2024

Journal Article

The good pain patient: a critical evaluation of patients' self-presentations in specialist pain clinics

Dudley, Morgan, Olson, Rebecca E., Mescouto, Karime and Setchell, Jenny (2024). The good pain patient: a critical evaluation of patients' self-presentations in specialist pain clinics. Health Sociology Review, 33 (3), 1-19. doi: 10.1080/14461242.2024.2350501

The good pain patient: a critical evaluation of patients' self-presentations in specialist pain clinics

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    How parents manage climate anxiety: coping and hoping for the whole family
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2026
    Medicinal Cannabis (MedCan 3) - randomised, multicentre, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess THC/CBD (1:20) to relieve symptom burden in patients with cancer
    NHMRC MRFF EPCDR Medicinal Cannabis
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2023
    Offer to supply program evaluation on the characteristics of specialist psychosocial mental health support programs for people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds in Queensland
    Queensland Health
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Improving delivery of the biopsychosocial approach: enhancing low back pain healthcare practice.
    Arthritis Foundation of Australia
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2023
    Medicinal cannabinoids to relieve symptom burden in the palliative care of patients with advanced cancer
    NHMRC MRFF - Lifting Clinical Trials Registries Capacity
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Talking about death: A study into palliative care communication
    Mater Misericordiae Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Use of the public hospital system by private patients: motivations and implications
    Queensland Treasury Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Building capacity for interprofessional work-integrated learning through development of authentic assessment of interprofessional skills
    UQ Teaching Innovation Grants
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Dr Rebecca Olson - Maternity Funding (Advance Queensland Women's Academic Fund)
    Queensland Government Advance Queensland Women's Academic Fund
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Addressing fragmentation in cancer care: A sociological study of emotional and cultural aspects of interprofessional practice
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Addressing fragmentation in cancer care: A sociological study of emotional and cultural aspects of interprofessional practice
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Associate Professor Rebecca Olson is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding children's constructions and experiences of death, dying and loss

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Towards a Critical Post-humanist Symphony of Children-Deaths

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Exploring how physiotherapists navigate distress in low back pain care

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Stefanie Plage

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Towards a Critical Post-humanist Symphony of Children-Deaths

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Discursive Renderings of Medicinal Cannabis Patients: Policy, Practice, Priorities

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jenny Munro

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Beyond pathology: (re)conceptualising distress in physiotherapy and chronic low back pain care

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Stefanie Plage

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Examination of constructions of health information exchange, as a specific action of person-centred care, occurring for and between professionals and patients.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Christy Noble

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding obstetric violence in Australia: prevalence, experiences and maternity carers perspectives

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nigel Lee

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Acceptance of digital mental health interventions: Sociodemographic aspects of user engagement with digital psychological interventions

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Paul Henman

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Collaborative clinical practice in healthcare

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Nadine Foster, Dr Lisa Anemaat

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Acceptance of digital mental health interventions: Sociodemographic aspects of user engagement with digital psychological interventions

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Paul Henman

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Evidence based use of oral medicinal cannabinoids in the palliative management of patients with advanced cancer

    Associate Advisor

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Rebecca Olson directly for media enquiries about:

  • allied health training
  • cancer
  • carers
  • interprofessional education
  • social support
  • sociology

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