Gemma is an NHMRC Early Career Senior Research Fellow (2018-2022) in the Department of Neuroscience and she leads the Body Image Research Group. From January 2023, she will become Associate Professor (Research) and an NHMRC Emerging Leadership 2 Fellow (2023-2027).

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology (University of Adelaide), Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Microbiology and Immunology (University of Adelaide), a Masters degree in Oncology (University of Cambridge), a Diploma in Languages in Japanese (University of Adelaide), a Graduate Diploma in Psychology (University of Adelaide), a Bachelor of Behavioural Sciences Honours degree in Psychology (Flinders University) and a PhD in Clinical Psychology (Flinders University). Her research career in both Medical Science and Mental Health has seen her study and work in Australia, Japan and the UK. 

Gemma was awarded a PhD from Flinders University in Adelaide in 2017 which investigated the psychological predictors and outcomes of female genital body image concerns and cosmetic genital surgery. She worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate and Academic at Curtin University in Perth and extended this genital self-image research to other genders. She continues this genital self-image research program across the gender spectrum. 

Gemma then commenced an NHMRC Early Career Research Fellowship (part-time) at Monash University. Gemma and her Body Image Research Group investigate the factors leading to body image and related mental health concerns (particularly eating disorders) and novel therapeutic interventions using digital technologies (such as chatbots and mobile apps) to address these concerns. Gemma has led collaborative technical projects with national eating disorder support organisations across the globe. 

Gemma's research has received extensive coverage on mainstream media and she makes regular appearances on television. She was named one of ABC Radio National's Top 5 Under 40 Scientists in 2017 and also was invited to deliver a TED talk in Brisbane in 2017. More recently, she won the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research (2022), Club Melbourne Fellowship (2022), Rising Star for the Association for Psychological Science (2021), two time national finalist for the Bupa Health Foundation Emerging Researcher Award (2021, 2019), Flinders Universiry Early Career Alumni Awardee (2021), one of The Educator's Rising Stars (2020), Australian Psychological Society Early Career Researcher Awardee (2020), a national finalist for a Eureka Prize (2020), received a national AMP Tomorrow Maker Award (2019), and was a Young Tall Poppy Award winner for Victoria (2018). She has also served as a host on Triple R's Radiotherapy program since 2018.  

In addition, Gemma is a registered clinical psychologist and has had clinical experience in the public and private sectors in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne. She leads her own private practice (part-time) and her particular areas of clinical interest are body image concerns, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder and related mental health conditions. She is a Board Approved Supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia. Furthermore, she serves on the Executive Committees of the Australia & New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders (ANZAED) and the Australian Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ASPOG). She is also the Chairperson of the ANZAED Membership Committee.  

You can follow Gemma's latest research and other activities on Twitter @gemmasharp11