Research Supervisor Connect

Professor Mark R. Mathews

Project opportunities with Professor Mark R. Mathews

• Functional analysis and evaluation of behavioural and environmental interventions designed to improved the lives of people with dementia

About Professor Mark R. Mathews

To improve our understanding of social and environmental factors that affect successful ageing and application of that knowledge to social programs that optimize independence and autonomy.

Professor Mathews is a recognized expert in direct observation and treatment of social and behavioural problems commonly experienced by older adults and people with disabilities.

Professor Mathews joined the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney in 2005 as Sesquicentenary Chair of Ageing, Health and Disability. He serves as the research convenor for faculty research groups on Ageing and Human Development. He is a Fellow of the Gerontology Society of America and received a distinguished teaching award from the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.

Professor Mathews has conducted his research in a wide range of community and residential settings in collaboration with professional staff, family caregivers, and consumers. Many of the highly effective, practical intervention strategies identified in his applied research have become common practice in residential care facilities and have enhanced residents’ quality of life and improved the working conditions of service providers. He has served as lead investigator on over $3,200,000 in research grants funded by the National Institute on Aging, the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, Kansas Department on Aging, Michigan Department of Health, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. He is currently a CI on research projects funded by Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.

Professor Mathews currently is on the board of editors for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavior Analysis in Practice; and has served on peer review teams for the National Health and Medical Research Council, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (US), Alzheimer's Association (US), Rehabilitation Services Administration (US), and Foundation for Research, Science & Technology (New Zealand). He has given over 200 conference presentations, research colloquium presentations, and invited addresses. He has published over 75 articles in peer-review journals, most of which were co-authored by one or more of his students.

Professor Mathews has served as primary supervisor for 8 masters and 11 doctoral degree completions. His students have won scholarships and awards from the American Society on Aging, International Association for Behavior Analysis, Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, the Graduate School of the University of Kansas, National Academy of Social Insurance, Mid-American Congress on Aging, the University of Kansas Women’s Club, and the Emerging Researchers in Ageing 5th National Conference.

Selected publications