Dr Kerryn Drysdale | UNSW Research

My Expertise

Drag performance cultures; Drag king history and contemporary practice; LGBTQI+ social scenes; Queer Theory

Chemsex; Sexualised drug use; Gay and bisexual men's drug use; Crystal methamphetamine

Blood borne virus (HIV, HCV, HBV) prevention; Community health; LGBTIQ+ Health

Ethnography; Qualitative research; Community engaged/peer led research; Co-design

Fields of Research (FoR)

Cultural studies, Public health, Sociology of health, Health promotion, Social determinants of health, Sexualities

Biography

I am a Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Research in Health (CSRH), a specialist research centre located in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at UNSW Sydney. Through my disciplinary background in Cultural Studies, I endeavour to bring a critical cultural lens to everyday lived experiences as they pertain to public health concerns.

I currently conduct research in two broad programmes of work:

Responding to health inequities and...view more

I currently conduct research in two broad programmes of work:

Responding to health inequities and social determinants of health, particularly by working with marginalised or vulnerable populations to determine their health and wellbeing needs.
Tracking social scenes for LGBTQ+ people, with a specific focus on the sex-based social norms and affects in precarious urban contexts that give rise to innovative forms of health promotion and harm reduction.

I take a community-led and -engaged approach to all my work, working with affected communities to determine their health needs.

I was awarded my PhD in 2016 from the Department of Gender and Cultural Studies, where I undertook an ethnographic exploration of Sydney's drag king culture as a site for the varied investments in social scenes for LGBTQ people. I taught Gender Studies and Cultural Studies at the University of Sydney before taking up a research-focussed position at the Centre for Social Research in Health in 2017.

My Grants

“Understanding the health system implications for delivering integrated POCT for infectious diseases in primary care settings” (2020), Treloar, C., Lafferty, L., and Drysdale, K. Centre for Research Excellence in the accelerated implementation of new point-of-care technology for infectious diseases grant.
“Efficacy of health promotion intervention for LGBTQ communities: scoping review” (2020), Newman C., and Drysdale, K. ACON Health, commissioned research.
Society for the Study of Affect Summer School Seminar convenorship (2019), Drysdale K., and Kasmani, O., Scenes: sites of affective world-making and –writing (International scope; competitive submission process), Millersville University, USA.
Ian Potter Foundation Travel Grant (2018), Drysdale, K., Crossroads in Cultural Studies Conference, Shanghai.

My Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (2016) University of Sydney.

Master of Arts (2009) Gender Studies (with merit), University of Sydney.

Bachelor of Arts with Honours (2002) University of Sydney

My Awards

FASS ECAN Publication Awards 2020 (Non-traditional Research Output category) for ‘Crystal Clear: Negotiating pleasures and risk around sex on crystal’ podcast series.

Awarded participant, Kathleen Fitzgerald Laureate Mentorship Scheme, University of Melbourne, 3 – 7 December 2018 - awarded to outstanding early career female researchers to complete an intensive mentoring programme with a focus on research leadership and enhancing career progression.

Finalist, Rita and John Cornforth Award (2016), Graduate Medal, University of Sydney - awarded to a person who has achieved the highest standard of academic proficiency in a doctoral thesis, and contributed to the diverse life of the University and broader community.

Dean’s Citation for Excellence in Tutorials (2013), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Sydney.

My Research Activities

Current projects:

Centre for Research Excellence in the accelerated implementation of new point-of-care technology for infectious diseases, led by Professor Rebecca Guy (The Kirby Institute). 2020 - ongoing. Social Science stream [Subproject: Understanding the health system implications for delivering integrated POCT for infectious diseases in primary care settings, led by Professor Carla Treloar. 2020 - 2021]
NSW Research Program for HIV, STIs and Viral Hepatitis (BRISE2), led by Professor Andrew Grulich, 2020 -2024 [Subproject: Resilient ageing and dying well among older people with HIV or chronic hepatitis B/C, led by Associate Professor Limin Mao. 2020-2021].
Identifying factors that improve the health of prisoners who inject drugs, led by Scientia Professor Carla Treloar. 2017-2020 [Subproject: Evaluation of ‘The Hard Cell: Living Life on the Outside’ research dissemination tool. 2021]
Deadly Liver Mob, led by Scientia Professor Carla Treloar. 2016-2021 [Subproject: Evaluation of the Deadly Liver Mob, led by Scientia Professor Carla Treloar. 2020-2021]
Equity Focussed Health Impact Assessment of the medium to long term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated response, led by Associate Professor Fiona Haigh (HERDU). 2020-2021.

Previous projects:

Efficacy of health promotion intervention for LGBTQ communities: scoping review, led by Christy Newman and Kerryn Drysdale.
Meaningful inclusion of trans and gender diverse populations in cervical cancer screening: A pilot study, led by Dr Ally Gibson.
‘my health, our family’: documenting stories of family life in the context of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, led by Associate Professor Christy Newman.
Crystal, Sex and Pleasures between Men, led by Scientia Professor Carla Treloar.
Intimate Investments in Drag King Cultures: The Rise and Fall of Lesbian Social Scenes. 2017 – 2019; Monograph.
Complex and changing needs of the ageing population living with viral hepatitis and/or HIV in the ACT, led by Associate Professor Limin Mao.

My Research Supervision

Areas of supervision

Qualitative research in public health; LGTBQ identities, relations and practices; queer performance cultures and scenes; social scenes and scene-making.

Currently supervising

Giselle Newton (commenced 2019), Seeking Someone Like Me: donor conceived people’s experiences, values and practices. Doctoral candidate. Co-supervision with Associate Professor Christy Newman, Centre for Social Research in Health, and Dr Michelle Zappavigna, School of the Arts & Media, at UNSW Sydney.
James MacGibbon (commenced 2018), Adaptation to and incorporation of HIV PrEP by Australian gay men in non-monogamous relationships. Doctoral candidate. Co-supervision with Professor Martin Holt, Centre for Social Research in Health, and Dr Benjamin Bavinton, Kirby Institute, at UNSW Sydney.

My Engagement

Memberships:

Affect and Emotion Network, 2021 to current.
Association for Cultural Studies, 2016 to current.
Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM), Affiliate Member, 2018 to current.
Australian Women’s & Gender Studies Association, 2017 to current.
Cultural Studies Association of Australasia, 2012 to current.
The Australian Sociological Association, 2017 to current.

My Teaching

While I am in research-focussed roles at UNSW Sydney, I regularly accept invitations to guest lecture in the areas of:

social determinants of health
health equity for marginalised communities
qualitative methodologies, including sensory ethnography and the art of interviewing
queer performances, performativity and LGBTQ scenes
scene theory and practices

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