Rate My Professor Susannah Nichols

Dr. Susannah Nichols serves as a Lecturer in Public Policy and public sector management in the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Murdoch University. Her academic journey at Murdoch University includes earning a Doctor of Philosophy in 2024, with her thesis titled "Policy Ideation, Actors, and Institutional Dynamics: A Historical Institutionalist Analysis of Obesity Policy in Australia." This work applies historical institutionalist frameworks to analyze policy processes surrounding childhood obesity and health policy in the Australian context. Earlier, she achieved a first-class honours degree in Global Politics and Policy from the same institution. Nichols' research interests center on public policy, childhood obesity, health policy, and policy change, contributing insights into institutional dynamics and policy ideation.

As an early-career academic, Dr. Nichols has transitioned from PhD candidate and tutor roles to her current lecturing position, where she delivers courses such as Public Policy Analysis. She holds the inaugural Chair position on the Master of Public Policy Course Advisory Board at Murdoch University, providing strategic guidance to the program's development. Her scholarly outputs include co-authoring the chapter "Western Australia" in the 2026 edition of Australian Politics and Policy, alongside Jacob Broom and Justin Harbord, which surveys the political history of the state. Nichols presented at the Murdoch Teaching and Learning Scholars Forum in 2024 and engaged in policy-related discussions at the Australasian Political Studies Association annual conference. Furthermore, she participated in the judging panel for the IPAA Western Australia Achievement Awards. Through these activities, Dr. Nichols actively shapes public policy education and research at Murdoch University and beyond.