ProfessorJane Speight

Professor Jane Speight is the Chair of Behavioural and Social Research in Diabetes and the Foundation Director of The Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes (ACBRD), established in 2010 as a partnership between Diabetes Victoria and Deakin University; an impactful partnership, which has been renewed every five years, including the current period: 2025 to 2030. Jane is a senior member of the School of Psychology and of the Executive Committee leading Deakin's Institute for Health Transformation, one of Deakin's four Institutes for Health.

Jane has a well-established portfolio of applied research focused on the behavioural, psychological and social aspects of diabetes. The overall aim of her work is to improve both the health and quality of life of people living with, or affected by, diabetes.

Jane has an exceptional track record, as evidenced by her Level E appointment at 6.5 years post-PhD. Since 2020, she has served two consecutive terms as Chair of the international PsychoSocial Aspects of Diabetes (PSAD) Study Group. In 2023, Jane co-led an international consensus to bring an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (Jan 2024) and recently co-led the inaugural Global Summit to End Diabetes Stigma (Jaipur, India, 28-29 March 2026). In 2023, Jane was invited by the European for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) to Co-Chair the EASD's first ever Guideline: the 2026 EASD Clinical Guideline for assessing and managing diabetes distress (launched at the EASD conference: Vienna, 18 Sept 2025) is now in press with Diabetologia. Jane is one of 32 Commissioners of the Lancet Commission on Type 1 Diabetes (due to be published in early 2027). She is a member of the Steering Committee for the 12th International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Atlas, to lead the first ever chapter on diabetes stigma. The 12th edition will be published April 2027 (the 11th edition has >1 million downloads).

Jane has published 300+ articles in peer-reviewed journals, several book chapters, position statements, and an international guideline. Jane's work has international reach and impact. Of her publications in the past 10 years:

• 81% have been published in the world's top 25% journals (compared to world average of 47%)
• 85% have included international collaborations (compared to world average of 20%)
• 20% are in the top 10% most cited worldwide (compared to world average of 10%)
• 3% are in the top 1% most cited worldwide (compared to world average of 1%)

Jane’s research has been cited more than 12,000 times (Scopus), and more than 75 times in more than 35 policy documents worldwide (Altmetrics).

According to ExpertScape, among worldwide researchers, Jane ranks in the top 0.1% for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and she is Australia's leading behavioural diabetes researcher. Jane was included on the ‘World’s Top 2% Scientists’ lists in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024.

Jane has been an investigator on research attracting funds of AU$90 million (most in the past decade), including the 4-year HypoRESOLVE grant (EUR26.8 million; AU$42m), awarded by the EU IMI2 scheme from May 2018 to Oct 2023.

Jane completed her PhD in 2003, at Royal Holloway University of London, focused on developing and evaluating measures of diabetes knowledge and diabetes-specific quality of life. She also has a MSc in health psychology and is a chartered psychologist. Jane is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.