Rate My Professor David Betts

Dr David Betts is a Senior Lecturer in the Social Work program within the School of Humanities, Creative Industries, and Social Sciences at the University of Newcastle, part of the College of Human and Social Futures. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours), both from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. His professional career includes prior experience as a registered social worker in health and hospital settings in Aotearoa New Zealand, notably in gerontology wards in Christchurch, where he identified deficiencies in social supports for older sexual and gender minorities. In his current role, Betts coordinates undergraduate courses focusing on mental health, disability, grief and loss, and ethics. He has also served as Deputy Program Convenor and Research Ethics Advisor, and supervises one current PhD candidate researching gay conversion practices.

Betts' research specializes in gerontology, queer studies, and social work practice, emphasizing the experiences of older sexual and gender minorities, including their social connections, responses to legislative changes such as decriminalization of homosexuality and marriage equality, persistent stigma, and fears regarding aged care and healthcare interactions. Key projects encompass a New Zealand study with 31 participants aged 60-80, examinations of marriage equality postal survey impacts in Australia's Hunter region, queer representation in young adult literature, telehealth barriers for older adults, and gender-related disaster experiences in Lismore floods. He has obtained 15 research grants totaling $842,968, leading initiatives like Faculty of Education and Arts New Start Grants on institutional interventions in queer lives and gender diverse older adults. Notable publications include the book 'Social Spaces for Older Queer Adults: A Guide for Social Work Educators, Students, and Practitioners' (2023); chapters in 'Handbook of Research Methods in Social Work' (2025) such as 'Queer theory and social work research'; and peer-reviewed articles like 'Queering the Book Club: Empathy Development Through Young Adult Literature in Australian Discussion Groups' (2022), '“Civil rights? Yeah, right!”: Reflections on legislative changes from older sexual and gender minorities in Aotearoa New Zealand' (2020), and 'Hidden and ignored: Older sexual and gender minorities in New Zealand' (2020). His scholarship, with 695 citations on ResearchGate, advances social work education, practice, and policy by amplifying marginalized narratives and promoting diversity training.