Dr. Tessa Benveniste
BMedSc, BPsychSc (Hons), MProfPsych, PhDLecturer - Psychology
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences
Appleton Institute, Centre for Indigenous Health Equity Research
I am a lecturer, researcher and provisionally registered psychologist driven by my passion for mental health, wellbeing and commitment to social equity.
My teaching experience lies across both undergraduate and postgraduate psychology, including qualitative research methods, critical, cross-cultural and social psychology, research evaluation in psychology and counselling and psychotherapies. I am also dedicated to providing high quality research supervision at the Honours, Masters, and PhD level.
I have established a strong track record as a multidisciplinary researcher, with many of my projects overlapping the disciplines of psychology, education, and health. My research interests include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, evaluation of education and health systems, boarding school and youth residential care settings, and worker wellbeing.
I aim approach my work with positivity, openness, and commitment to ongoing learning.
Background
With qualifications in both Medical and Psychological Science, I approach wellbeing from a holistic perspective.
Stemming from my doctoral research project (investigating the experiences of boarding school for remote Aboriginal students and families) I have had the privilege of researching alongside many Aboriginal communities across Australia. I am continuously reflexive of my position as a non-Indigenous ally in this space.
While I have predominantly lived in Adelaide, I care deeply for rural and regional communities across Australia and enjoyed periods of time living in Cairns and Alice Springs.
Universities Studied At
Finders University
University of South Australia
Central Queensland University
Universities Worked At
Central Queensland University
Awards
2020 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Grant, Central Queensland University ($20,000)
2016 International Symposium on Best Practices in Educational Justice: Boarding Schools for Marginalized Youth (Hanover, Germany) – Post-graduate student Travel grant ($3000)
2015 The Big Issue ‘Big Idea’ Social Enterprise Competition: National Postgraduate winners “The Garden of Earthly Delights”
2015 Ninti One: Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation Award: Best postgraduate student abstract and oral presentation ($500)
2014 Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation: Postgraduate student top-up scholarship ($33,000)
2013 Australian Postgraduate Research Award [APA] Scholarship (2013) ($75, 000)
2013 CQUniversity, Appleton Institute Award for Best Post-graduate Oral Presentation, 1st Annual Postgraduate Seminar Series (2013) ($200 towards research funds)
Media Citations
2018 ABC North West Queensland. “Resilience for Indigenous boarding students”, radio interview, June 2018
2017 CQUniNEWS. “From project seeds to pitching to the premier, Big Idea about to bloom for CQUni Adelaide” July, 2017
2017 The Messenger Eastern Courier. “A garden of earthly delights”. March, 2017
2015 CQUniNEWS. “A garden of hope in face of homelessness – CQUni duo’s Big Idea a national award winner”, November 2015
2015 The Fifth Estate. “Community garden for the homeless wins Big Idea competition”. 1 December 2015. https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/business/public-community/community-garden-for-the-homeless-wins-big-idea-competition
Previous teaching
2017 CQUniversity Term 3: Course Coordinator, PSYC12014: Critical, cultural and social psychology
2017 CQUniversity Term 2: Tutor, PSYC12014: Critical, cultural and social psychology
2017 CQUniversity Term 1: Teaching Assistant, PSYC13017: Abnormal Psychology
2016 CQUniversity Term 3: Teaching Assistant, PSYC12014: Critical, cultural and social psychology
2016 CQUniversity Term 3: Teaching Assistant, PSYC11008: Biological Foundations of Psychology
2015 CQUniversity Term 3: Course Coordinator, PSYC12014: Critical, cultural and social psychology
2014 CQUniversity Term 2: Teaching Assistant, PSYC12014: Critical, cultural and social psychology
Professional Memberships
Australian Psychological Society
Industry Reports
1. Bainbridge RG, Mccalman JR, Jongen CS, Campbell SK, Kinchin I, Langham EM, Benveniste TC, Calder RER, Doran CM. Evidence check: Improving social and emotional wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Dec 2018. Sax Institute. 1-107
2. Benveniste, T., McCalman, J., Van Beek, A., Langham, E., Kinchin, I., Bainbridge, R. (2018). Evaluating the impacts of boarding schools’ resilience strategies for remote Indigenous students: A mixed methods study. Education Horizons Grant Scheme, report prepared for the Queensland Department of Education
3. Osborne, S., Benveniste, T., Rigney, L. (2016). Widening the Circles: An evaluation of the Centrecorp Foundation education student assistance program 2011-2015. Report prepared for the Centrecorp Foundation
4. Benveniste, T. (2013). Engaging the disengaged: Evaluation of a program to engage youth with design and architecture pathways. Report prepared for Adelaide University, School of Architecture and Built Environment
Developing an evaluation framework for the IMPACT residential care worker support program
Grant: Scholarship (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Schemes: Elevate Scholarship 2024 – LBI CQUniversity
Total Funding: N/A
Stronger Together as Unified Nations for Community-led Health (STAUNCH) (GNT2036067)
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 1: Aust Competitive Grant)
Funding Schemes: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Synergy Grants 2025
Total Funding: $460,000.00
Connecting our Way: Improving the Well Being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 5-12 years (MRF2026086)
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 1: Aust Competitive Grant)
Funding Schemes: MRFF 2022 Indigenous Health Research Fund - 2022 Indigenous Health Research - Stream 2 THRU University of Sydney
Total Funding: $38,282.00
STRengthening systems for InDigenous healthcare Equity (CRE-STRIDE) (GNT1170882 - NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence Grant)
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 1: Aust Competitive Grant)
Funding Schemes: CQU Contribution; NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence - STRengthening systems for InDigenous healthcare Equity (CRE-STRIDE)
Total Funding: $502,646.56
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 3903 Education Systems
Current Capacity
Current Supervision
Specialist Studies in Education - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education
Specialist Studies in Education - Comparative and Cross-Cultural Education
Other psychology - Other psychology not elsewhere classified
Psychology - Educational Psychology
Psychology - Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology
Psychology - Social and Community Psychology
