Lisa Jackson Pulver

Lisa Rae Jackson Pulver (born 1959) is an Aboriginal Australian epidemiologist and researcher in the area of Aboriginal health who has been Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Sydney since October 2018.

Early life and education Lisa Rae Jackson was born in Stanmore in 1959 and grew up in Revesby. Her father served in the Second World War and struggled with mental health issues and addictions. Her family members also came from Wales and Scotland. Her parents divorced in the 1980s, but later got back together and planned to remarry, however her father died of asbestosis. Aged 17, she went to Bankstown Technical College and took a nursing entrance course before undertaking hospital based training at Lidcombe Hospital. A decade later, she applied to study medicine at Sydney University.

Jackson Pulver received a PhD in medicine from the University of Sydney in 2003, and is the first known Aboriginal person to have achieved this award.

Jackson Pulver was a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council's committee for Aboriginal Health and has also worked with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Universities Australia. In 2014, she spent a month as "Scientist in Residence" for NITV, SBS's indigenous news channel. She continues to work with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Universities Australia.

Jackson Pulver is a member of the Australian Medical Council and a member of the board.

Jackson Pulver joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a public health epidemiologist in the Specialist Reserve in 2004. She later became a specialist adviser to the Chief of Air Force and set up the RAAF's Directorate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. She became a fellow of the Royal Society of NSW in 2021.

Personal life Jackson met Mark Pulver, a widower and electrical engineer, in 2001 and they later married. She had a number of miscarriages and they did not have any children.

Jackson Pulver has a long history of political advocacy. She marched with Aboriginal people for land rights in the 70s and 80s and continues this support.

Selected publications