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. Her work advances the human aspects of care. It empowers students, teachers and researchers to foreground social and emotional aspects in addressing emerging health challenges through collaborative, interdisciplinary research with in-built impact. As Co-Founder and past 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. As Joint Editor-in-Chief of Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, Olson fosters dialogue across theory-curious clinician researchers and critical health social scientists. With 100+ 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
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Australian National University
Research interests
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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
Olson uses innovative sociological theory and innovative participatory methods to attend to contemporary health challenges:
- interprofessional practice,
- palliative care,
- climate anxiety,
- biopsychosocial approaches in physiotherapy,
- medicinal cannabis treatment and policy, and
- emotions and reflexivity in higher education teaching and learning.
Improving the human aspects of care through understanding and leveraging emotion is a key driver of Olson's work. By informing policy and international guidelines, Olson's research shapes practice:
- 2025 International Association for Health Professions Education (AMEE Guide No. 184) guide on emotion in medical education;
- 2021 Chilean Ministry of Education (Hirmas et al., 2021) teaching policy;
- 2018 Macy Foundation report on Improving Environments for Learning in the Health Professions; and
- 2015 US National Academy of Science Policy guidelines on researching interprofessional education.
Works
Search Professor Rebecca Olson’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Conference Publication
Physiotherapists both reproduce and resist biomedical dominance when working with people with back pain: a participatory study towards new praxis.
Mescouto, Karime , Olson, Rebecca , Costa, Nathalia , Evans, Kerrie , Dillon, Miriam , Jensen, Niamh , Walsh, Kelly , Weier, Megan , Lonergan, Kathryn , Hodges, Paul W. and Setchell, Jenny (2021). Physiotherapists both reproduce and resist biomedical dominance when working with people with back pain: a participatory study towards new praxis.. International Society for Critical Health Psychology, Online, August 2021.
2020
Journal Article
New mothers and social support: a mixed method study of young mothers in Australia
Hoffmann, Heidi, Olson, Rebecca, Perales, Francisco and Baxter, Janeen (2020). New mothers and social support: a mixed method study of young mothers in Australia. Journal of Sociology, 57 (4), 144078332097870-968. doi: 10.1177/1440783320978706
2020
Journal Article
A critical review of the biopsychosocial model of low back pain care: time for a new approach?
Mescouto, Karime, Olson, Rebecca E., Hodges, Paul W. and Setchell, Jenny (2020). A critical review of the biopsychosocial model of low back pain care: time for a new approach?. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44 (13), 1-15. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1851783
2020
Conference Publication
Uncharted waters: Telling the stories of Antipodean frontline responders navigating the great COVID-19 voyage.
Olson, Rebecca E. (2020). Uncharted waters: Telling the stories of Antipodean frontline responders navigating the great COVID-19 voyage.. SocioHealthLab's (Un)conference: Doing health and healthcare differently, Online, 2 December 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
Feel like quitting? Lung screening and smokers’ emotions
Olson, Rebecca E., Goldsmith, Lisa, Winter, Sara, Spaulding, Elizabeth, Dunn, Nicola, Mander, Sarah, Ryan, Alyssa and Marshall, Henry (2020). Feel like quitting? Lung screening and smokers’ emotions. The Australian Sociological Association Annual Conference, Online, 23-26 November 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
COVID-19 as a mass emotional event: Implications for medicine
Olson, Rebecca E. (2020). COVID-19 as a mass emotional event: Implications for medicine. The Australian Sociological Association, Online, 23-26 November 2020.
2020
Other Outputs
Reconnecting after coronavirus - 4 key ways cities can counter anxiety and loneliness
Patulny, Roger, McKenzie, Jordan, Bower, Marlee and Olson, Rebecca E. (2020, 04 27). Reconnecting after coronavirus - 4 key ways cities can counter anxiety and loneliness The Conversation
2020
Conference Publication
Feeling our way through the field: reflexively navigating the emotional dimensions of research ethics guidelines
Olson, Rebecca E. (2020). Feeling our way through the field: reflexively navigating the emotional dimensions of research ethics guidelines. British Sociological Association Annual Conference, Birmingham, United Kingdom and Virtual, 21-23 April 2020.
2020
Journal Article
The emotional trade-off between meaningful and precarious work in new economies
Patulny, Roger, Mills, Kathy A, Olson, Rebecca E, Bellocchi, Alberto and McKenzie, Jordan (2020). The emotional trade-off between meaningful and precarious work in new economies. Journal of Sociology, 56 (3), 144078332093415-355. doi: 10.1177/1440783320934156
2019
Journal Article
Elucidating knowledge and beliefs about obesity and eating disorders among key stakeholders: paving the way for an integrated approach to health promotion
Bullivant, Bianca, Denham, Aaron R., Stephens, Clare, Olson, Rebecca E., Mitchison, Deborah, Gill, Timothy, Maguire, Sarah, Latner, Janet D., Hay, Phillipa, Rodgers, Bryan, Stevenson, Richard J., Touyz, Stephen and Mond, Jonathan M. (2019). Elucidating knowledge and beliefs about obesity and eating disorders among key stakeholders: paving the way for an integrated approach to health promotion. BMC Public Health, 19 (1) 1681, 1681. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-7971-y
2019
Conference Publication
Medicinal Cannabis Use among Queensland-based Terminal Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Investigation into Identity and Self-presentation
Zhaoxi Zheng, Rebecca Olson and Kylie Morphett (2019). Medicinal Cannabis Use among Queensland-based Terminal Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Investigation into Identity and Self-presentation. The Australian Sociological Association, Sydney, Australia, 25-28 November 2019.
2019
Journal Article
Social emotions: a multidisciplinary approach
McKenzie, Jordan, Olson, Rebecca, Patulny, Roger and Peterie, Michelle (2019). Social emotions: a multidisciplinary approach. Emotions: History, Culture, Society, 3 (2), 187-201. doi: 10.1163/2208522x-02010056
2019
Journal Article
Happy, Stressed, and Angry: A National Study of Teachers’ Emotions and Their Management
Patulny, Roger, Bellocchi, Alberto, Mills, Kathy A., McKenzie, Jordan and Olson, Rebecca E. (2019). Happy, Stressed, and Angry: A National Study of Teachers’ Emotions and Their Management. Emotions: History, Culture, Society, 3 (2), 223-244. doi: 10.1163/2208522x-02010058
2019
Journal Article
Understanding social bonds during science inquiry using V-Note software
Bellocchi, Alberto, Davis, James P., Olson, Rebecca E. and Appanna, Subhashni D. (2019). Understanding social bonds during science inquiry using V-Note software. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 14 (3), 769-796. doi: 10.1007/s11422-019-09940-z
2019
Other Outputs
“Everyone My Age Doesn’t Know What It’s Like”: A Mixed-Method Study of Young Mothers and Social Support in Australia
Hoffmann, Heidi, Olson, Rebecca E., Perales, Francisco and Baxter, Janeen (2019). “Everyone My Age Doesn’t Know What It’s Like”: A Mixed-Method Study of Young Mothers and Social Support in Australia. LCC Working Paper Series. 2019-14. Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland.
2019
Journal Article
If you’ve got private health insurance, the choice to use it in a public hospital is your own
Sophie Lewis, Karen Willis and Rebecca E. Olson (2019, 03 15). If you’ve got private health insurance, the choice to use it in a public hospital is your own The Conversation
2019
Journal Article
Book Review: Amy Chandler, Self-injury, medicine and society: authentic bodies
Olson, Rebecca E. (2019). Book Review: Amy Chandler, Self-injury, medicine and society: authentic bodies. Journal of Sociology, 55 (2), 413-415. doi: 10.1177/1440783319829317
2019
Book Chapter
Emotion work at the frontline of STEM teaching
Bellocchi, Alberto, Mills, Kathy, Olson, Rebecca, Patulny, Roger and Mckenzie, Jordan (2019). Emotion work at the frontline of STEM teaching. Critical issues and bold visions for science education: The Road Ahead. (pp. 247-264) edited by Lynn A. Bryan and Kenneth Tobin. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. doi: 10.1163/9789004389663_014
2019
Book Chapter
Introduction
Patulny, Roger, Olson, Rebecca E., Khorana, Sukhmani, McKenzie, Jordan, Bellocchi, Alberto and Peterie, Michelle (2019). Introduction. Emotions in late modernity. (pp. 1-7) edited by Roger Patulny, Alberto Bellocchi, Rebecca E. Olson, Sukhmani Khorana, Jordan McKenzie and Michelle Peterie. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.
2019
Book Chapter
Power, (com)passion and trust in interprofessional healthcare
Olson, Rebecca E. and Dadich, Ann (2019). Power, (com)passion and trust in interprofessional healthcare. Emotions in late modernity. (pp. 267-281) edited by Roger Patulny, Alberto Bellocchi, Rebecca E. Olson, Sukhmani Khorana, Jordan McKenzie and Michelle Peterie. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Rebecca Olson is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
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
Discursive Renderings of Medicinal Cannabis Patients: Policy, Practice, Priorities
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jenny Munro
-
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
Beyond pathology: (re)conceptualising distress in physiotherapy and chronic low back pain care
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stefanie Plage
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evidence based use of oral medicinal cannabinoids in the palliative management of patients with advanced cancer
Associate Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Collaborative clinical practice in healthcare
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nadine Foster, Dr Lisa Anemaat
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Children's everyday encounters with death/s: a non-sociological investigation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Melanotanning: A Sociological investigation of user experiences of the injectable tanning peptide (melanotan) in the context of identity, health and risk.
Principal Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Navigating a diagnosis, navigating an identity: Adults diagnosed Asperger's Disorder/Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
A study of the meanings of spirituality in the context of depression
Principal Advisor
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Acceptance of digital mental health interventions: Sociodemographic aspects of user engagement with digital psychological interventions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Henman
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing low back pain care: Thinking and practising critically beyond the biopsychosocial model
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Hodges
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Gendered views on parole: Exploring how emotion and emotion management help to explain gender differences in the Australian public's views on parole
Associate Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Psychosis and Self-Transformation: Addressing Relationship Negotiation with the Unruly Self
Associate Advisor
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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