Dr Kirsty O'Callaghan is the Impact Project Officer in UniSC's Office of Research, specialising in research impact communication, sustainability reporting, and strategic stakeholder engagement. She works across the University to identify and communicate evidence of research excellence and societal impact, supporting researchers and professional staff to demonstrate how UniSC's research creates meaningful benefits for communities, industry, government, and the environment.

Drawing on expertise in strategic communication and sustainability, Kirsty translates complex research and institutional data into compelling narratives that inform decision-making, enhance organisational reputation, and strengthen stakeholder engagement. She has led the development of UniSC's annual SDG Report, helping to position the SDGs as both a reporting framework and a catalyst for collaboration and institutional change. She also supports the University's participation in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings through data analysis and strategic reporting.

Kirsty is also a Research Fellow in the School of Law and Society and part of the research group working on the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)-funded project, “Water security for locally relocated coastal communities in the western Pacific region”, which focuses on equitable support for coastal rural communities on the high islands of Fiji and Vanuatu to meet their water security needs.