Associate Professor Sonia Palmieri is Head of the Department of Pacific Affairs, Coral Bell School of Asia and Pacific Affairs, College of Asia and the Pacific at The Australian National University. Her research interests lie in the social and cultural conditions that legitimise women's leadership in political institutions, including parliaments. Her signature contribution has been towards the theorisation and practice of gender sensitive parliaments, having written both academic and practitioner-focused publications and toolkits. In parallel, Sonia explores with students and her disciplinary peers, opportunities and strategies for more inclusive research methodologies, particularly feminist methodologies.

This research agenda is built on 15 years’ experience of working in academic, development and parliamentary institutions. She has held positions with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (in Geneva, Switzerland), the United Nations Development Program (in Hanoi, Vietnam), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (in New York, USA), and the Australian parliament. She has engaged with current and aspiring women in politics in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and - most prominently - the Pacific, and has designed and evaluated development programs for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).