Professor Karen Walker-Bone trained originally in Medicine at Southampton University Medical School, UK, graduating in 1991. As a medical student, she undertook a project with Professor David Barker and Professor Catherine Law investigating growth in early life in relation to birthweight in the MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit. Once qualified, she chose to specialise in Rheumatology and was awarded a prestigious Arthritis Research UK (now Versus Arthritis) fellowship to do her PhD 1999-2002 about the epidemiology of neck and upper limb disorders in working aged adults and from there developed a particular interest in the relationship between work and health. Between 2013-2021, she was an MRC Investigator, Leader of an MRC Programme on Work and Health and Director of the MRC Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work. Karen migrated to Australia in December 2022 to take up her new role as Professor of Occupational Rheumatology and Director of the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health. Her research focuses on health in the workplace and she has broader interests in promoting health at work; mental health and work; women in the workplace and older workers. In 2024, Karen took over from Professor Michael Abramson as Principal Investigator for the Hazelwood Health Study, to lead the study through the final year of its initial 10-year research program.
Associate Professor Matthew Carroll was the Co-Principal Investigator and was responsible for the Gippsland components of the study. Associate Professor Matthew Carroll is a senior researcher within the Monash School of Rural Health and is based at Churchill, in the Latrobe Valley. Matthew was involved in the study from its inception and led the Psychological Impacts stream as well as being involved in other stream activities. In conjunction with being one of the leaders of the Hazelwood Health Study, he is the National Convenor for the Emerging Researchers in Ageing initiative. With the other members of the Hazelwood Health Study Management Group, Matthew was the recipient of the 2017 Dean's Award for Excellence in Research Impact (Economic and Social Impact) and the Dean's nominee for the Vice Chancellor's 2017 Research Impact Award. Associate Professor Carroll took over the role of Hazelwood Co-Principal Investigator from Professor Judi Walker, who retired from Monash in 2020.
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Previous Principal Investigators
Professor Michael Abramson and Professor Judi Walker were the inaugural Principal Investigators for the Hazelwood Health Study. Their details can be found here:
