Professor Kim Wilkins
Professor

Kim Wilkins

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Background

Kim Wilkins is a humanities researcher and acclaimed creative writer who specialises in the intersection of creativity, technology, and cultural industries. Currently Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at UQ, she leads innovative research into the socio-material dimensions of creative industries and the application of creative thinking to complex technological challenges.

Her research portfolio spans popular fiction studies, publishing ecosystems, and technology foresight. Recent projects include pioneering work on speculative fiction storytelling for defence innovation, community publishing in regional Australia, and the application of "story thinking" to anticipate technological impacts. She serves as a member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts.

As a creative practitioner, Wilkins has published 30+ novels in 20+ languages, including bestselling historical fiction and fantasy series. Her dual expertise as both researcher and professional writer uniquely positions her to bridge academic inquiry with industry practice, particularly in areas of creativity research, reading and book culture, the future of publishing, and transdisciplinary innovation.

Availability

Professor Kim Wilkins is:
Not available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Creative Arts and Writing Creative and professional writing Language, Communication and Culture Literary studies

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, The University of Queensland
  • Masters (Research), The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Creative practice

  • Popular fiction

  • Publishing and book culture

  • Storytelling, creativity, and the imaginaton

Search Professor Kim Wilkins’s works on UQ eSpace

80 works between 2000 and 2025
All (80) Journal Article (20) Book Chapter (11) Conference Publication (1) Book (6) Other Outputs (42)

61 - 80 of 80 works

2008

Other Outputs

Gold dust

Wilkins (Freeman, Kimberley), Kim (2008). Gold dust. Sydney: Hachette Livre Australia.

Gold dust

2008

Journal Article

Popular genres and the Australian literary community: The case of fantasy fiction

Wilkins, Kim (2008). Popular genres and the Australian literary community: The case of fantasy fiction. Journal of Australian Studies, 32 (2), 265-278. doi: 10.1080/14443050802056771

Popular genres and the Australian literary community: The case of fantasy fiction

2008

Other Outputs

The Forest

Wilkins (Kimberley Freeman), Kim (2008). The Forest. Dreaming Again: Thirty-five new stories celebrating the wild side of Australian fiction. (pp. 125-141) edited by Jack Dann. Pymble, NSW, Australia: HarperCollins.

The Forest

2007

Other Outputs

Duet

Wilkins (Kimberly Freeman), Kim (2007). Duet. Sydney, Australia: Hachette Livre Australia.

Duet

2006

Other Outputs

Ghost ship

Wilkins, K. (2006). Ghost ship. Lisarow, NSW, Australia: Omnibus/Scholastic.

Ghost ship

2006

Other Outputs

Nightshade: A Gina Champion mystery

Wilkins, Kim (2006). Nightshade: A Gina Champion mystery. Camberwell, VIC, Australia: Mystery Penguin Australia.

Nightshade: A Gina Champion mystery

2006

Other Outputs

The star queen

Wilkins, K. (2006). The star queen. Lisarow, NSW, Australia: Omnibus/Scholastic.

The star queen

2006

Other Outputs

Tide stealers

Wilkins, K. (2006). Tide stealers. Lisarow, NSW, Australia: Omnibus/Scholastic.

Tide stealers

2006

Other Outputs

Giants of the frost

Wilkins, Kim (2006). Giants of the frost. PhD Thesis, School of English, Media Studies and Art History, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/394198

Giants of the frost

2006

Other Outputs

Sorcerer of the waves

Wilkins, K. (2006). Sorcerer of the waves. Lisarow, NSW, Australia: Omnibus/Scholastic.

Sorcerer of the waves

2005

Other Outputs

Witchsong: A Gina Champion mystery

Wilkins, Kim (2005). Witchsong: A Gina Champion mystery. Camberwell, VIC, Australia: Penguin Australia.

Witchsong: A Gina Champion mystery

2005

Other Outputs

Rosa and the veil of gold

Wilkins, Kim (2005). Rosa and the veil of gold. Sydney, Australia; London, United Kingdom: HarperCollins Australia; Victor Gollancz UK.

Rosa and the veil of gold

2005

Journal Article

The process of genre: Authors, readers, institutions

Wilkins, Kim (2005). The process of genre: Authors, readers, institutions. Text, 9 (2), 1-13. doi: 10.52086/001c.31906

The process of genre: Authors, readers, institutions

2004

Other Outputs

Giants of the frost

Wilkins, Kim (2004). Giants of the frost. Sydney, Australia; London, United Kingdom; New York, United States: HarperCollins Australia; Victor Gollancz UK; Warner Aspect US.

Giants of the frost

2004

Other Outputs

Space boogers

Wilkins, K. and Bosch, S. (2004). Space boogers. Sydney, Australia: Hodder Hotshots/Mark Macleod.

Space boogers

2003

Other Outputs

The autumn castle

Wilkins, Kim (2003). The autumn castle. Pymble, NSW, Australia: HarperCollins.

The autumn castle

2003

Other Outputs

Moonstorm: A Gina Champion mystery

Wilkins, K. (2003). Moonstorm: A Gina Champion mystery. Pymble, NSW, Australia: HarperCollins.

Moonstorm: A Gina Champion mystery

2002

Other Outputs

Fireheart: a Gina Champion mystery

Wilkins, K. (2002). Fireheart: a Gina Champion mystery. Pymble, NSW, Australia: HarperCollins.

Fireheart: a Gina Champion mystery

2001

Other Outputs

Bloodlace : a Gina Champion mystery

Wilkins, K. (2001). Bloodlace : a Gina Champion mystery. Pymble, NSW, Australia: HarperCollins.

Bloodlace : a Gina Champion mystery

2000

Other Outputs

The resurrectionists

Wilkins, Kim (2000). The resurrectionists. M.A. Thesis, School of English, Media Studies and Art History, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2017.16

The resurrectionists

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Community Publishing in Regional Australia (ARC Linkage Project administered by The University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022
    The Ursula Project: Speculative Fiction techniques for technology foresight
    Commonwealth Defence Science and Technology Group
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Defence Innovation Bridge
    The Defence Innovation Bridge Program
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Genre worlds: Australian popular fiction in the 21st century
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    The AustLit Resource: supporting research in studies of Australian literary and narrative cultures
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Humanities in the digital age: infrastructure for Australian literary studies, publishing studies, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    Digital humanities practice in Australian literary studies: data development, structural enhancement and open access innovation - Austlit phase 4
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Reimagining female agency in Australian popular medievalism
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    Medievalism in Australian popular fiction
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Kim Wilkins is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Creative writing and the creation of a new Australian novel genre

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Helen Marshall

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Mechanics of Imagination: Arthur Coghlan and Generative AI in Creative Nonfiction

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Leah Henrickson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Connecting Children with Nature Through Fiction

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Richard Newsome

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Realness of Unreal Things: A Model for Writing Speculative Fiction Memoir

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Tom Doig, Associate Professor Helen Marshall

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Design Fixation and its Impact on Creative Thinking in Primary School Students

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Ben Matthews

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Start with a Bang: The Critical Nature of Perilous Beginnings in Australian Crime Fiction Writing and Publishing.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Venero Armanno

  • Master Philosophy

    The Remake: Generation Loss Across Iterations of Invasion of the Body Snatchers

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Venero Armanno

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Kim Wilkins directly for media enquiries about:

  • Bestsellers and book culture
  • Creativity and the imagination
  • Fantasy fiction
  • Popular fiction
  • Writing and publishing

Need help?

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