Kim joined CDU in late-2022 as the new Director of the Northern Institute and previously held various senior positions at RMIT University – as a Deputy and Associate Dean of Research and as Director of the Centre for Applied Social Research.

Kim is an interdisciplinary academic, originally trained in politics, social theory, HPS and history but predominantly working in the domain of sociology (and is incoming Vice-President of The Australian Sociological Association 2023-24).

Internationally, Kim is best known for her work on the socio-cultural and political dimensions of consumption and material life. She also has worked extensively on social and cultural aspects of Indigenous health (in the NT and Victoria) and on cross-cultural research ethics. Over the last two decades, Kim has published widely in these fields, has held a number of Australian Research Council grants, and has pursued collaborations through visiting research/professorial positions in sociology and media & creative industries at the University of Manchester, King’s College London, and the University of Sussex.

Kim’s current research variously focuses on; critical and transformative frameworks of ethical/sustainable consumption and enterprise, community-based arts and social enterprise, renewed approaches to social research, and transgender studies (especially transfeminism). She very much welcomes suggestions for research collaboration and inquiries from potential higher degree by research students.