Kelly-Ann Allen, an Icon of Change in Australia

Icons of Change International Awards 2026

Professor Kelly-Ann Allen

Professor of Belonging Science, Monash University
Associate Professor (Research), Monash Education
Honorary Associate Professor, University of Warwick
Principal Honorary Fellow, University of Melbourne Centre for Wellbeing Science
Editor-in-Chief, Educational and Developmental Psychologist

DECRA Fellow, Monash University
Fellow, Australian Psychological Society
Gold Award in the Nonfiction Book Awards for the Psychology of Belonging, Monash University

SDG Focus: SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being

Changemaker for the Science of Belonging, Human Wellbeing and Inclusive Communities (Australia)

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Icons of Change International Awards 2026 proudly recognises Professor Kelly-Ann Allen, an internationally recognised researcher, psychologist, author and leading scholar of belonging science whose work has helped establish belonging as a fundamental dimension of human wellbeing, motivation, educational success and healthy social environments.

Through an exceptional combination of scientific research, psychological practice, academic leadership, public engagement and knowledge translation, Professor Allen has advanced a simple but profoundly important proposition: people need to feel that they belong.

Belonging is not merely a social preference.

It can influence motivation, participation, relationships, educational experiences, organisational life and dimensions of physical and psychological wellbeing.

Professor Allen's research has helped transform belonging from an intuitive concept into a subject of systematic conceptual and empirical investigation.

Her work provides educators, organisations, policymakers, psychologists and communities with a stronger evidence base for understanding how belonging can be supported throughout the lifespan.

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Professor of Belonging Science

In July 2026, Professor Allen was appointed Professor of Belonging Science at Monash University, a role that reflects the growing significance of her research field and her contribution to developing the scientific understanding of belonging.

She also serves as a DECRA Fellow at Monash University, while maintaining honorary academic appointments with the University of Melbourne and the University of Warwick.

At the University of Melbourne, she is a Principal Honorary Fellow associated with the Centre for Wellbeing Science.

At the University of Warwick, she serves as an Honorary Associate Professor in Educational Psychology.

These appointments reflect the international reach of her scholarship and her continuing contribution to education, psychology and wellbeing research.

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Making Belonging a Scientific Field of Inquiry

Professor Allen's research vision is centred on understanding the importance of belonging in everyday life and identifying ways it can be strengthened across the lifespan.