Dr. Adam Gerace
BPsych(Hons), PhDHead of College - Psychology
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences
Appleton Institute
Dr Adam Gerace is Head of the College of Psychology within the School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, where he oversees the College's undergraduate, Honours, and postgraduate psychology and workplace wellbeing offerings. Prior to taking on this role, Dr Gerace was Head of Course for the Graduate Certificate in Positive Psychology, Graduate Diploma of Positive Psychology, and Master of Applied Positive Psychology.
For over 15 years, Dr Gerace has researched the strategies individuals use to understand others' perspectives and how these influence experiences of empathy. His work is grounded in social psychology, with a strong applied focus on enhancing empathy in nursing and improving mental health outcomes. Over his academic career, he has published widely and secured competitive grant funding, demonstrating a consistent ability to deliver high-quality, impactful research. His teaching focuses on building wellbeing and resilience in individuals and communities.
Dr Gerace is an experienced communicator of science and wellbeing principles to diverse audiences, and is committed to translating research findings into real-world impact. He is a regular contributor to ABC radio across Australia, and appears fortnightly on ABC Radio Queensland’s Drive program, where he discusses key psychological studies and what they mean for our health, wellbeing, and relationships.
Background
Dr Gerace’s research focuses on perspective taking, empathy, and social perception, with applications in both psychology and mental health nursing. Prior to joining CQUniversity in December 2017, he was a Senior Research Fellow in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University (2009–2017), where he investigated psychiatric inpatient unit practices and explored the perspectives of both staff and consumers on care. While completing his PhD, Dr Gerace also taught extensively across psychology programs within the School of Psychology at the University of South Australia.
Universities Studied At
PhD, University of South Australia (2009).
BPsych(Hons), University of South Australia (2003).
Universities Worked At
Flinders University (2009-2017).
University of South Australia (2004-2009).
Awards
Cited in Stanford University's 2024 List of the Top Two Percent Most-Cited Researchers in the World.
Cited in Stanford University's 2021 List of the Top Two Percent Most-Cited Researchers in the World.
CQU Student Voice Awards Commendations for Applied Positive Psychology (2018, 2019) and Building Wellbeing and Resilience: Interconnected Factors (2020).
Australian Psychological Society (APS) Psychology of Relationships Interest Group Thesis Award (2010).
Tony Winefield PhD Thesis Prize in Psychology, University of South Australia (2010).
Australian Postgraduate Award (APA).
Media Citations
2021-present: Regular segment on ABC Radio Queensland's Drive hosted by Annie Gaffney. Every fortnight on a Tuesday (5.45PM AEST), Dr Gerace presents key psychological theories and concepts and discusses the intriguing studies that led to their discoveries. He is also a regular contributor to other ABC radio programs across Australia.
Professional Memberships
Editorial Board member, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (Wiley) (2024-present).
Editorial Board member, Journal of Relationships Research (Cambridge University Press) (2015-2020).
Convener, Australian Psychological Society Psychology of Relationships Interest Group (2015-2018).
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 4205 Nursing
- 5205 Social and personality psychology
Current Capacity
Current Supervision
Nursing - Mental Health Nursing
Psychology - Social and Community Psychology
