Current research
La Trobe's research strategy encourages innovation, specialisation and collaboration.
The following research strengths are La Trobe's designated areas of research focus.
These areas have been identified on the basis of outstanding performance of La Trobe staff against a number of criteria such as: academic publications, success in the receipt of competitive grant funding, national and international research collaborations, prizes, conference participation, public commentary and intellectual leadership.
Agribioscience and the Environment
Affiliated organisational areas include the AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience, the CRC for Plant Biosecurity, the CRC for Molecular Plant Breeding, the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, the Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities, as well as departments/programs including Botany and Zoology.
Health and Society
Includes diverse research involving the interaction of health with society.
Affiliated organisational areas include the National Stroke Research Institute, Cooperative Research Centre in Aboriginal Health, Research Centres in Sex, Health and Society, Mother and Child Health, Musculoskeletal Research, Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care and Australian Institute for Primary Care, as well as departments/programs in Nursing, Psychology, Physiotherapy and Public Health.
Human Behaviour and Thought
Includes research in cognitive and developmental psychology, neuropsychology, social psychology, mind, logic and language, environmental ethics and policy, European philosophy, mathematics and statistics and computer science.
Affiliated organisational areas include the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematics and Statistics of Complex Systems, the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, the Olga Tennison Austism Research Centre, as well as departments/programs in Psychology, Philosophy, Mathematics and Statistics and Computer Science.
Human Communication
Includes research from Linguistics, English and Media Studies.
Affiliated organisational areas include the Research Centre in Linguistic Typology, the Research Centre of Contemporary Greek Studies, the Australian Migrant English Program, as well as departments/schools in Asian Studies, Education and English.
Involves leading international scholars in Linguistics and English.
Human Society and Organisation
Includes research from a variety of areas relating to the way society is organised and functions around politics, sociology, business, the economy and law.
Affiliated organisational areas include the Innovative Universities European Union Centre, the Centre for Dialogue, as well as departments/programs in Economics and Finance, Law, Management and Marketing, Graduate School of Management, Management and Accounting, Politics, Social Work and Sociology.
A principal contributor to Australian public affairs in Politics, and a prominent international contributor in Cultural Sociology.
Molecular Science
Includes a variety of research that involves the study and imaging of molecules, and encompasses parts of traditional disciplines of microbiology, biochemistry, chemistry and physics.
Encompasses the Australian Institute of Molecular Medicine, the Centre for Materials and Surface Science, as well as departments/programs in Biochemistry, Physics and Chemistry.
Studies of the Past
Includes a wide variety of research broadly in history and archaeology.
Encompasses the departments/programs in History and Archaeology and leading international scholars in these areas.
Further information
All our faculties have existing and emergent research strengths which cannot be covered entirely by this page. Please refer to faculty and school websites for further information on our extensive research activities.
