Rate My Professor Trevor Parmenter

Trevor Parmenter is Emeritus Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Sydney, holding the Foundation Chair of Developmental Disability and directing the Centre for Disability Studies from 1997 to 2009. He is also Adjunct Professor in the School of Rural Medicine at the University of New England. Previously, as Professorial Fellow at Macquarie University, he directed the Unit for Community Integration Studies. His career began with teaching and administrative positions in the New South Wales Department of Education from 1953 to 1973. He earned his BA from the University of New England and PhD from Macquarie University in special education.

Parmenter's academic interests center on disability studies, including behavioural and emotional problems among people with disabilities, quality-of-life assessment, program evaluation, community living and employment, cognitive assessment, brain injury, family studies, transitions from school to adulthood, attitudes toward disability, and policy development. With over 160 publications and 4,828 citations, key works include "What is Intellectual Disability? How is it Assessed and Classified?" (2011), "Individualised funding schemes for people with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review" (2025), and "The Relationship Between Personal Wellbeing, Choice and NDIS Individualised Planning and Support for People With Intellectual Disabilities" (2025). He served as President of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (1996-2000). Awards include Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2005 for contributions to research, teaching, and services for people with developmental disabilities; University of New England Distinguished Alumni Award (2006); Fellow of the Australian College of Educators (FACE); Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FAAIDD); Fellow of the International and Australasian Societies for the Study of Intellectual Disability (FIASSID, FASSID). Post-retirement, he supervises doctoral students and remains active in advocacy and research.