Michelle Cleary [RN, PhD] is Professor of Nursing at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and an internationally recognised nurse researcher whose scholarship spans mental health, health services, and workforce research. She brings extensive academic leadership experience across Australian and international universities. Professor Cleary has held senior academic leadership and governance roles, including Associate Head (Global), Associate Head (Capacity and Capability), Academic Lead, and Director of Research. These positions have involved responsibility for research performance, academic standards, international engagement, workforce development, and strategic initiatives supporting research excellence and organisational development.

She is also an Honorary Professor at the Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney, and an Adjunct Professor at Adelaide University, the University of Southern Queensland, and Charles Sturt University. She has also held visiting and honorary appointments internationally, supporting research collaboration, capacity building, and knowledge exchange.

Her research program has a strong translational focus, addressing complex clinical, organisational, and social challenges to improve health outcomes and service delivery. Her work encompasses mental health and wellbeing, trauma-informed care, substance use, and recovery-oriented practice, as well as burns and critical care research. This includes studies examining patient outcomes, symptom burden, rehabilitation, and recovery across the care continuum.

Professor Cleary's research also explores workforce sustainability, leadership, and workplace culture. Her scholarship has advanced understanding of issues such as leadership fatigue, ethical practice, incivility, and bullying in healthcare and academic settings. She has also contributed to innovation in healthcare, nursing education, and research methodology.

She has an extensive and highly cited publication record and is consistently ranked among Elsevier's World's Top 2% Most Cited Scientists, including ranking in the top 2% globally for career impact. Her work has attracted approximately AUD $2.6 million in research funding and has informed policy, clinical guidelines, and service models nationally and internationally. An invited keynote speaker at national and international conferences, Professor Cleary has led major conferences and symposia and is recognised for her contributions to research leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the translation of evidence into practice.

Professor Cleary currently serves as Editor of the Journal of Advanced Nursing, is an Editorial Board Member and Column Editor for Issues in Mental Health Nursing and is also appointed to the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing.  She is also an Author-in-Residence for the Nurse Author & Editor journal. Through these roles, she contributes to advancing nursing knowledge, research quality, integrity, and impact across the discipline.

Professor Cleary maintains extensive collaborations across national and international academic, clinical, and policy sectors, and currently supervises PhD and higher-degree research candidates, having supervised numerous research students to successful completion. Her work is underpinned by a commitment to equity, inclusion, and workforce capability.