Tracey Ahern

Associate Professor Tracey Ahern is a Registered Nurse and Course Coordinator of JCU's Master of Nursing (Online), a successful 100% online postgraduate course for Registered Nurses wanting to increase their knowledge base in one of three nursing specific specialisations: Education, Leadership and Management or Advanced Practice.

Tracey is deeply passionate about research that drives meaningful improvements in women’s health outcomes, with a particular focus on addressing the inequities faced by women in rural and remote communities. Her work is guided by a commitment to generating evidence that not only advances knowledge but also translates into practical strategies that improve access, quality, and equity of care. By prioritising the voices and lived experiences of women in underserved areas, she aims to ensure that research has a tangible impact on health, wellbeing, and long-term outcomes.

Tracey has postgraduate qualifications in the fields of nursing and education.  She has expertise in research with a exploratory quantitative design, particularly using online surveys to collect data. She is also actively engaged in collaborative projects using qualitative research design.

In recent times, whilst working predominantly in online education, Tracey has developed a strong interest in best practice models of online education, with a particular focus on research that explores the support and training required to build educator capacity in digital learning environments. Her work is centred on understanding how professional development can empower educators to design and deliver high-quality online courses. She is also committed to investigating strategies that enhance student connectedness and belonging, recognising these as critical foundations for engagement, retention, and academic success in online learning.