Associate ProfessorShane Clifton

Shane Clifton is an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences (Occupational Therapy) within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. He is the Director of the Centre for Disability Research and Policy, an impact centre focused on disability research and its application to policy.

As a C4/5 incomplete quadriplegic, Shane brings lived experience to his academic work. He teaches health ethics and disability studies, with a focus on the intersection of disability, bioethics, and virtue ethics.

Shane’s research focuses on the well-being and rights of people with disabilities. His primary areas of investigation include:

• Addressing ableism and social exclusion.
• Advancing disability leadership and human rights, guided by the principle: "Nothing about us without us."

Beyond his university role, Shane contributes to the sector as a Board Member of The Disability Trust, and previously served as a Policy Director and Research Officer for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disabilities, and as President of the Board of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia.