Associate Professor Julien Barbara

Associate Professor Barbara is the Director of the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs. He is a political economist specialising in politics, democracy and governance in the Pacific. He has conducted research on political and social change across the Pacific region including in the areas of elections, political participation, political attitudes, climate, public policy, governance and institutional reform, leadership, gender and urbanisation. He has significant foreign and aid policy experience, having worked in various roles for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), including as a diplomat posted to the European Union and Director of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) Machinery of Government Program. He has a strong interest in research impact and translation, and the formation of research and education partnerships in the Asia Pacific region. With a highly collegial and consultative approach to leadership, a focus of Associate Professor Barbara’s work in the Bell School has been growing Category 2 funding to support policy focused research in Asia and the Pacific and he is keen to support strategies to grow funding in this area.