Professor Lou Harms was appointed as Vice-President of the Academic Board in March 2025. She holds the Chair of Social Work in the Department of Social Work at the University of Melbourne, having recently stepped down as the Head of Department (2019-2025).
Lou’s research and teaching focuses on human experiences of and adaptation to trauma, grief and loss. She has particular interests in resilience and strengths-based approaches in understanding individual, family and community recovery in health, disability and post-disaster contexts.
Lou holds a PhD, a Master of Social Work (Research), a Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne.