Prof Kate Darian-Smith
Professor Kate Darian-Smith
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Kate Darian-Smith is Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, and President of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (2025 -). She is a historian and interdisciplinary scholar, and experienced and transformative academic leader.
Kate was Executive Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Arts, Law and Education, at the University of Tasmania (2018-2024). She previously held senior leadership roles at the University of Melbourne, including professorial appointments in Australian Studies, History, and Cultural Heritage, and Director of the Australian Centre, and Associate Dean. She has held visiting professorial positions at universities in the US, China and Japan, and is Senior Research Fellow at Museums Victoria.
Kate has a distinguished academic career, recognised internationally for her books, articles and other publications in Australian history, cultural heritage, memory studies, and histories of war and society, settler-Indigenous relations, childhood, education, media and migration. Her recent research focuses on Australia’s cultural and social transformations during the 20th century.
With deep expertise in research and grant development, Kate has received institutional and national awards for early career and post graduate mentoring. She has been the recipient of 15 Australian Research Council (ARC) grants across the Discovery and Linkage schemes and was node convenor for the ARC Cultural Research Network. Kate has served on the ARC’s College of Experts and the Humanities and Creative Arts Evaluation Committee for ERA and assessed grants for several international bodies.
Kate was former editor of Australian Historical Studies and History Compass, and is currently on the Editorial Advisory Board, Documents on Australian Foreign Policy, at DFAT. Her contributions extend to advisory roles with government, museums, and arts and cultural organisations. Her ministerial appointments include the Board, Australia-Japan Foundation, DFAT and the Council, Australian Museum of Democracy, Old Parliament House. She is past President of the International Australian Studies Association and has been on the executive of several higher education associations, most recently the Australasia Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.