Dr Peta Cook
Researcher and Lecturer - Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre
“I think it is a big privilege to work with diverse people that exist within our communities, and assist them in whatever way I can to create change.”
Working with diverse people within our communities to assist in making their lives better and to make society a better and more inclusive place is what drives Dr Peta Cook in her research as a social scientist. Intrigued by how social forces impact the lives of older people and an ageing population, her research examines age discrimination, age-friendly communities, and the needs of older people by working closely with communities. Peta keeps herself very busy as a Senior Lecturer, Course Coordinator and Researcher at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, while also on the Board of Directors of the Council on the Ageing (COTA) Tasmania, and Vice President of the Australian Sociological Association (TASA).
Peta deservedly received the 2018 UTAS Vice Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Community Engagement, and the 2020 TASA Sociology in Action Award.