Professor Michelle Ryan is the Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and a Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology.

Professor Ryan currently holds a European Research Council Consolidator Grant to investigate how context constrains women’s careers choices. She is involved in a number of other research projects. With Alex Haslam, she has uncovered the phenomenon of the glass cliff, whereby women (and members of other minority groups) are more likely to be placed in leadership positions that are risky or precarious.

Research into the glass cliff was named by The New York Times as one of the top 100 ideas that shaped 2008, and in 2016 the term “the glass cliff” was shortlisted as Word of the Year by the Oxford English Dictionary.


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Articles

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Why a global day for women matters – today and everyday 

Over a century ago, in a time when hashtags didn’t exist, let alone #metoo, women in different parts…

8 March 2024



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Trolling and sexist abuse barriers to women in media

Women are just as willing to be interviewed by media as men but are increasingly concerned about copping…


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Marking Julia Gillard’s misogyny speech 10 years on

In 2012, then Prime Minister Julia Gillard became a global sensation when she stood in Parliament and railed against…


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Women could hold keys to election win

Women could hold the keys to the Lodge and election victory this Saturday, with new analysis from The Australian National…


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Most female candidates contesting unwinnable seats

Just two in 10 female candidates from Australia’s major parties are contesting winnable seats in the 2022 federal…


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Experts predict Reckoning at polls

As Australia barrels towards the federal election, experts from The Australian National University (ANU) say voters may take…


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Medical equality undermined by mistaken doctors

Male doctors who overestimate female representation in the medical profession are also less likely to support gender-equality initiatives, new…

22 March 2022



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Jenkins review needs urgent implementation: experts

Australia’s leading institute for women’s leadership is urging all political parties and independents to commit to implementing the…

30 November 2021



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Brittany Higgins takes up key women’s leadership role at ANU

Former political staffer and women’s safety and equality advocate Brittany Higgins has been appointed as the inaugural Visiting…

6 October 2021



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Code of conduct needed to stop sexual assault in Parliament

Australia must urgently adopt a code of conduct to prevent abuse, harassment and sexual misconduct in Parliament, say…


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