Pat Bazeley was awarded a PhD in
community psychology for an action research based thesis which argued that
community development was an effective strategy for the promotion of mental health
in a disadvantaged population (Macquarie U, 1980). After graduating she worked
in community development and as a freelance researcher, undertaking projects in
public health, welfare, education, law and community studies. From 1991-9 she
was responsible for research development (and for four years, administration
also) for academic staff at the University of Western Sydney. Currently, she
holds senior part time positions in research centres
at The University of New South Wales (in the Centre for Primary Health Care and
Equity) and the Australian Catholic University (in the Quality of Life and
Social Justice Research Centre). In consequence, she has had experience with
research design and methodology broadly across the social sciences.
As a research methodologist, through
Research Support, Pat now provides research consulting and retreat facilities
for researchers from a wide range of disciplines (and countries) at the
Research Farm near Bowral, in the southern highlands
of NSW. Additionally, she provides training and consulting services for
academics, graduate students and practitioners in universities, government
departments and commercial organisations both locally
and internationally. Her particular expertise is in helping researchers to make
sense of both quantitative and qualitative data and to use computer programs
for management and analysis of data. Her passion is to help people move beyond
simple descriptive analyses of rich data.
Pat's own research has been focused in
two quite different substantive areas: around the motivation, development,
performance and careers of researchers; and in public/community health issues.
She has a particular interest in mixed methods research, where she is exploring
tools and techniques for integrating analysis of qualitative and quantitative
data, and the methodological implications of doing so.
Pat has served as an Associate Editor of
the Journal of Mixed Methods Research, reviews articles and research proposals
for a wide range of journals and international funding bodies, and has
published books, chapters and articles on qualitative and mixed methods data
analysis. She has also published on immunisation services, and on the career
development and performance of researchers.