Sarah is a high performing academic with a strong vision about real-world research translation and innovative teaching approaches to address the needs of students for the future health workforce. She is engaged as a consultant on national trauma and mental health evaluations, including the Prime Ministers Taskforce on suicide prevention. She is an invited collaborator in the US, UK and Europe in the trauma and wellbeing fields and is a media expert relating to missing persons investigations, impacts and incidence.

UNSW

UNE

UTS

USYD

UNE

2021 and 2022
School of Health, University of New England
Teaching commendation Excellence in teaching

2015
DVCR, University of New England
UNE Chancellors medal for Doctoral research

2014
DVCR, University of New England
3-minute thesis Competition 
University Winner

2006
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
Churchill Fellowship

Knowledge translation has been a key feature of Professor Wayland’s success – seeking ways to ensure research connects with the community through articles in The Conversation, media engagements and podcast interviews to ensure through care with research findings.

 Wayland and Maple (2023) How do I do suicide watch at home? https://theconversation.com/how-do-i-do-suicide-watch-at-home-202845 

Wayland (2023) What Prince Harry’s memoir Spare tells us about complicated grief https://theconversation.com/what-prince-harrys-memoir-spare-tells-us-about-complicated-grief-and-the-long-term-impact-of-losing-a-mother-so-young-197611 

Wayland, (2022) Why do we mourn people who don’t know? https://theconversation.com/why-do-we-mourn-people-we-dont-know-190331 (listed as the 5th most read article from UNE in 2022 with more than 50,000 readers)

Wayland (2022) COVID deaths are now barely mentioned in the media. That changes the very nature of grief, The Conversation Au

Wayland (2021) Rolling media coverage of missing persons cases can add to the trauma for all families left behind, The Conversation Au

Wayland (2021) Shifting sands: Covid 19 and Liminality The Conversation AU

* Wayland, S & Ferguson, L (2020) ‘No one is truly there to help’: why so little is known about the reasons people go missing. The Conversation AU

Wayland, S. & Maple, M. (2020) Ripple effects: Understanding the impact of suicide prevention activities during COVID-19. Mindfood Magazine, McHugh Media, Sydney Australia.

- BSW and MSW-Q units including Rural Social Work, Social Work through the lifespan, Suicide intervention, Postvention, prevention, Capstone and BSW Honours Coordinator

- Health Sciences including working with vulnerable families, disability and psychosocial wellbeing through the lifespan, Qualitative Research Methods.

Previous to her academic career, Professor Wayland worked for statutory child protection services followed by a significant period with NSW Victims of Crime as a statewide trauma manager.

She was also seconded to the Australian Federal Police to translate a national counselling framework for families of missing people, to ensure safe and accessible support provision. 

Australian Association of Social Workers

Research mentoring

Social Work Course TeamManagement

Teaching and learning 

Co-design and collaboration with industry stakeholders

Focus Group engagement

Research and career mentoring for women in academia

Of significance, academic, research and service has led to:

·     All of staff project delivery of signature values and behaviours work to better respond to psychosocial hazards in higher education.

·     Design and implementation of a trauma-informed communications strategy to address psychosocial hazards and support staff through internal and external change.

Of significance, academic and research leadership has led to:

·     Development of a national discourse, to better support families of missing people, now utilised by European and UK Policing services.

·     Development of a brief contact intervention to better support of people who suicide attempt, and their carers.

·     Development of policies that safeguard the wellbeing of children and young people with disability, vulnerable to institutional child sexual abuse.

·     Enhancing access and inclusion of people with disability in qualitative research

·     Scholarship of Teaching and Learning approaches to enhance curriculum delivery to Social Work students, highlighting the need for enhanced suicide prevention knowledge to better equip new graduates.

·     Identifying novel clinical supervision and teaching approaches for students in allied health, who engage in learning with lived experience of grief, trauma or mental ill-health.

- Nvivo

*Maple, M, Wayland, S., Kendall, S, Hua, P, Pearce, T. Dupe, J, Ratnarajah, D & Douglas, L. (2020) ‘They can only talk themselves out of it if they’re talking: a report prepared for the National Suicide Prevention Advisor and National Suicide Prevention Taskforce. 

 Wayland, S (2020) You are not alone: a resource for carers of people who suicide attempt https://www.sane.org/you-are-not-alone 

Coker, S; Wayland, S; Maple, M; Hartup, M; & Blanchard, M (2019) Better Support: Understanding the needs of family and friends when a loved one attempts suicide. SANE Australia, Melbourne Victoria DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.23325.67044

Wayland, S (2019) Acknowledging The empty space: exploring the support needs of people left behind when someone is missing. Australian Federal Police, ACT, Australia Retrieved from: https://missingpersons.gov.au/sites/default/files/PDF%20-%20Publications/Counselling%20Framework-accessible2019.pdf 

Maple M., Wayland S, Pearce T, Hua P. (2018). Services and programs for suicide prevention: An Evidence Check rapid review brokered by the Sax Institute (www.saxinstitute.org.au) for Beyond Blue. 

Maple, M., Pearce, T. & Wayland, S. (2018). Nowhere would you find a group like this: Evaluation of the pilot Lifeline Eclipse Program. University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

Maple, M., Hess, N., McKay, K., Pearce, T. & Wayland, S. (2017). StandBy Response Service Evaluation Report. University of New England, Armidale, Australia. 

Wayland, S & Hindmarsh, G. (2017) Understanding safeguarding practices for children with disability, when engaging with organisations. CFCA paper, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australia. 

Llewellyn, G, Wayland, S & Hindmarsh, G (2016) ‘Disability and child sexual abuse in institutional contexts: A Discussion Paper’ Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in institutional settings, Sydney Australia

Wayland, S., Smith-Merry, J., Kokany, A., Hancock, N. (2017). What recovery means to us: understanding real-life recovery. Blacktown: Western Sydney Partners in Recovery. Link: https://www.wentwest.com.au/content/documents/phn/programs/mental-health/RecoveryNarrativeBooklet.pdf

Wayland, S. (2007) Supporting those who are left behind – a counselling framework for healthcare professionals. Australian Federal Police, Canberra Australia.

 Wayland, S (2005) A Glimmer of Hope – stories of courage for families of missing people. NSW Attorney Generals Department, Sydney Australia.

Special issue: Qualitative Research methods (2025) Accessibility and inclusion in qualitative research methods

- Lifeline Australia

- SANE Australia

- Gunnedah Council

- ARTD

- KPMG