Professor Iva Strnadova
Mgr. (Master of Special Education; Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic),
PhDr. (Doctor of Philosophy; Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic),
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy; Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic),
Doc (Associate Professor; Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic)
Iva Strnadová is a Professor in Special Education and Disability Studies at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Her research aims to contribute to better understanding and the improvement of the life experiences of people with disabilities, especially people with intellectual disabilities. Combining research with advocacy is essential in her research program, which builds on supporting the self-determination (including self-advocacy) of people with intellectual disabilities, and is grounded in an innovative inclusive research approach, in which people with intellectual disabilities are included in the role of researcher.
She has a particular research interest in the well-being of people with developmental disabilities (intellectual disabilities and autism) and their families over the life span, diverse transitions in the lives of people with disabilities (particularly intellectual disabilities and autism); girls and women with intellectual disabilities; parents with intellectual disabilities; people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, and inclusive research.
Iva Strnadová has a strong history of securing national and international research grants. Since 2005, she has been one of the CIs on more than forty different research projects on both national and international levels. She conceptualised the research projects, managed research teams, and in some of the projects mentored fellow CIs in the application of the grounded theory approach, inductive content analysis and art-based methods (Photovoice, body-mapping).
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Selected research grants
2023-2028 National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Targeted Call for Research (TCR) into Improving health of people with intellectual disability. Category 1 grant - Palmer, E., Strnadová, I., Leach Scully, J., Loblinzk, J., Best, S., Turbitt, E., McGaughran, J., & Pratt, G. GeneEQUAL: equitable and accessible genomic healthcare for people with intellectual disability. 5 years research grant. Application: 2015753.
2024 ADA Faculty Research Grants Scheme. Strnadová, I., Terrill, B., Leach Scully, J., Danker, J., Loblinzk, J., Chen, C. R., & Palmer, E. Health and genetic health literacy education for students with intellectual disabilities: Parents’ experiences and perspectives
2024-2028 The National Health and Medical Research Council: The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). Models of Care for Sexuality and Gender Diverse People and People with Innate Variations of Sex Characteristics, Stream 2. Power, R., Ussher, J. M., Perz, J., Wilson, N. J., Hawkey, A., Rigg, D. W., Strnadová, I., G., Bateson, D., Badawi, N., Dew, A., Burns, J., Quilliam, C., & Turner, G. Developing models of sexual health care for LGBTQA+ people with disability. Application ID: 2031883.
2024-2026 The National Health and Medical Research Council: The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Consumer-Led Research Grant Opportunity, Stream 2. Harrison, R., Trollor, J., Woolfenden, S., Strnadová, I., Manias, E., Dew, A., Westbrook, J., Mitchell, R., Bartindale, T., Travaglia, J., Ellis, L., Mimmo, L., Mummford, V., Badgery-Parker, T., & Debono, D. Pioneering co-created patient-reported experience measures for people with intellectual disability to improve health outcomes.
2023-2027 MRFF Clinician Researchers - Applied Research in Health Application. Woolfenden, S., Ostojic, K., Dale, R., Paget, S., Reedman, S., Khan, J., Elliott, E., Killedar, A., Hodgins, M., Scott, T., Burnett, H., Martin, T., Mimmo, L., Sherwood, J., Zwi, K., Associate Investigators: Strnadová, I., Eapen, V., Lingam, R., Smithers-Sheedy, H., McIntyre, S., Berg, A., Dee-Price, B.-J., Woodbury, Chambers, G., Mohamed, Van Hoek, D., & Masi, A. Equitable Pathways and Integrated Care in Cerebral Palsy (EPIC-CP)
2024-2026 MRFF Consumer-Lead Research. Turbitt, E., Amor, D., Callinan, E., Hoven, E., Hemsley, B., Palmer, E. E., McEwen, A., Morrow, A., Heussler, H., Associate Investigators: Doran, B., Shakes, P., Imms, C., Wilfond, B., Taylor, N., Dive, L., Yanes, T., & Strnadová, I. NurtureNextGen: Co-design of a digital tool to support families of children with genetic neurodevelopmental conditions to receive balanced prognostic information.
2023-2025 NSW Department of Health. Palmer, E., Strnadová, I., Leach Scully, J., Loblinzk, J., Terrill, B., Boyle, J., Danker, J., Sarfaraz, S., Dunn, M., Tso, M., Willow, S.A., & Molnar, C. GeneEQUAL CHOICE: NSW Health Easy Read Genetic Test Decision Aid and Clinician Education Pack to Support Shared Decision Making about Genetic Testing for People with Intellectual Disability.
2023-2025 Erasmus+ KA210-VET - Small-scale partnerships in vocational education and training. Strnadová, I., Bernoldová, J., Zulić, M., Šimáčková , H., Eisner, P., Oláh, M., Ondrejková, M., Jurčová, Z., Nedović, G., Đorđević, M., Sretenović, I., Potić, S. Sex education of students with special education needs: Importance of using evidence-based practices to achieve learning outcomes. 18 months. 2023-1-CZ01-KA210-VET-000153711
2023-2025 Women’s Health Research, Translation, and Impact Network (WHRTN). Power, R., Londos, C., Ussher, J., Perz, J., Strnadová, I., Hawkey, A., O’Shea, A., Spencer, R., Quilliam, C., Jax, B., Ramsay, N., & Zada, N. Sexual Health Across the Margins: LGBTQ Women Living with Disability.
2023-2024 Performance Monitoring and Reporting, Strategy and Performance, Queensland Department of Education, Australia. Strnadová, I., Danker, J., Alonzo, D., Gao, A., Dowse, L., & Loblinzk, J. Development of accessible versions of the Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing Survey.
2023-2026 ARC LP grant - Kirby, E., Newman, C., Churchill, B., Smith, L., Strnadová, I., Hofstaetter, L., Judd-Lam, S., & Boulos, M. When caring ends: Understanding and supporting informal care
2022-2023 The National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP). Strnadová, I., Dowse, L., Leach Scully, J., & Garcia Lee, B. Ethical co-production in disability research.
2022 NSW Department of Education, Australia. Strnadová, I., Dowse, L., Lowe, K., & Danker, J. Supporting students with disability in successfully transitioning to and from high school: Review and synthesis of literature.
2022-2023 NSW Department of Health. Palmer, E., Strnadová, I., Leach Scully, J., Loblinzk, J., Danker, J., Boyle, J., & Tso, M. NSW Health genomics resource package and toolkit for people with intellectual disability
2022 SoE Research Grants Scheme. Danker, J., Strnadová, I., & Dreyfus, S. Scoping review to identify which communication systems adults with severe and profound intellectual disability and communication impairments use for “functional” communication.
2022 ADA Faculty Research Grants Scheme. Strnadová, I., Palmer, E., Leach Scully, J., Terrill, B., Jackaman, K.-M., & Loblinzk, J. Barriers and enablers to education on genomic health for primary and high school students with intellectual disability.
2022-2024 Erasmus+ KA210-VET - Small-scale partnerships in vocational education and training. Strnadová, I., Bernoldová, J., Zulić, M., Kogovšek, D., Novšak Brce, J., Lipec Stopar, M., Žolgar I., Nedović, G., & Đorđević, M. Enhancing inclusive education: Upskilling teacher assistants in using evidence-based practices. 18 months.
2023-2026 NHMRC, Targeted Call for Research (TCR) into Participation in Cancer Screening Programs. Category 1 grant - Bateson, D., Ussher, J., Strnadová, I., McGeechan, K., Chang, E., Carter, A., Loblinzk, J., & Sweeney, S. Overcoming Inequity: Increasing cervical screening participation for people with intellectual disability (CIRCE). Project ID: 2015215
2021 ADA Faculty Research Partnership Scheme. Kirby, E., Newman, C., Strnadová, I., Newton, G., Hofstätter, L., Judd-Lam, S., Churchill, B., & Smith, L. Understanding care endings: Sociological and educational approaches to support pathways out of caring.
2021-2023 Intellectual Disability Rights Service. Strnadová, I., Danker, J., Loblinzk, J., & Carter, A. Research evaluation of the Rights and Relationships program for high school students and young adults with intellectual disability in New South Wales.
2021-2023 The Inner West Council, Sydney. Strnadová, I., Danker, J., Loblinzk, J., & Carter, A. Research evaluation of the Rights and Relationships program for high school students and young adults with intellectual disability in Inner West Sydney.
2021-2022 NSW Department of Health. Palmer, E., Strnadová, I., Leach Scully, J., Loblinzk, J., Boyle, J., & Danker, J. NSW Health Genomics Education Inclusive of People with Intellectual Disability.
2020-2021 Husova Nadace, Czech Republic. Bernoldová, J., Zulic, M., & Strnadová, I. Preparation for parenthood and sexuality education for people with intellectual disabilities
2020-2024 Australian Government Department of Health. Carter, A., Strnadová, I., Guy, R., Danchin, M., O’Neill, J., Leask, J., Skinner, R., Davies, C. Vujovich-Dunn, C., & Loblinzk, J. Co-design of a multi-component intervention package to improve HPV vaccination coverage in special schools.
2021-2023 Greenlight program (rebranded as CP Concierge) and The Research Foundation of Cerebral Palsy Alliance grant. Wolfenden, S., Ostojic, K., Lingam, R., Strnadová, I., Chambers, G. M., Scott, T., Dale, R., Paget, S., Burnett, H., & Price, BJ. D. Equity Pathways and Integrated Care in Cerebral Palsy (EPIC-CP): Equity pathways for CP.
2020 NSW Department of Education, Australia. Strnadová, I., & Dowse, L. Disability Strategy Implementation: Literature review on support for students with disability.
2020 - 2021 NSW Department of Education, Australia. Strnadová, I., Danker, J., Loblinzk, J., Dowse, L., & Lenne, B. Capturing perspectives on student well-being from students with intellectual disability and/ or autism in NSW schools: Listening to voice of students with high support needs.
2020 University of New South Wales Sydney. Strnadová, I., Danker, J., Loblinzk, J., & Self Advocacy Sydney. Online peer support and peer mentoring and its impact on social inclusion and well-being of people with intellectual disability.
2020 - 2021 UNSW Disability Innovation Institute. Harrison, R., Mimmo, L., Woolfenden, S., Travaglia, J., Strnadová, I., Hodgins, M., Dew, A., Philips, K., & Oulton, K. What does it mean to have a good hospital experience? Participatory research with children with intellectual disability.
2020 University of New South Wales Sydney, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Strnadová, I., Danker, J., Loblinzk, J., Malouf, R., & IDRS. Sexuality, rights and relationships education for students with intellectual disabilities and autism.
2020 - 2021 Fardell, J., Campbell, L. Shortland, L. Cumming, T., Strnadová, I., Wakefield, C., & Marshall, G. Coordinated health and education support planning – Education focus in models of care.
2019 University of New South Wales Sydney, UNSW Gonski Education Institute. Cumming, T. M., & Strnadová, I. A Wraparound approach to ‘whole of student’ issues: Education, health, and community services
2019 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Strnadová, I., Danker, J., Loblinzk, J., Walmsley, J., Tilley, E., & Armstrong, A. Self-advocacy and its impact on subjective well-being
2019 UNSW Disability Innovation Institute. Strnadová, I., Cumming, T. M., Martin, A., Danker, J., & Loblinzk, J. Mobile Technology as a Tool to Increase Social Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities
2018 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Strnadová, I. & Loblinzk, J. Girls and women with intellectual disabilities finding ways to belong
2018 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Education. Strnadová, I. & Loblinzk, J.Adolescent girls with intellectual disabilities: Education that matters.
2017 ANZSOG (the Australian and New Zealand School of Government). Dowse, L., Strnadová, I., & Dew, A. Models of Support for people with intellectual disability and complex support needs
2017 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Collaborative Research Scheme. Dowse, L., Strnadová, I., Dew, A., Collings, S., Smith, L., & Meltzer, A. Families with complex support needs: Models of peer support.
2017 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Education. Strnadová, I. & Loblinzk, J. Parents with intellectual disabilities: Effective models of peer support.
2017 - 2018 The Czech Science Foundation (GACR); Czech Republic. Hájková, V., Němec, Z., Strnadová, I., & Květoňová, L.Preconceptions, construction and reconstruction of teaching assistants’ professional identity. GA ČR 17-07101S.
2016 University of Newcastle, Faculty of Education and Arts. Strnadová, I., Chambers, D., Patterson, D., & Dally, K. - Enhancing teacher preparedness for inclusive education: Preparing teachers for professional collaborations in inclusive settings.
2016 - 2017 Charles University Research Council, Czech Republic. Adamčíková, Z., Strnadová, I., & Bernoldová, J. Formal support of parents with intellectual disabilities: Analysis of capabilities, knowledge and attitudes of social workers supporting parents with intellectual disabilities within home-based services. Research grant No.310416, 34.44% success rate.
2016 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Art and Design. Silvera-Tawil, D., Strnadová, I., & Cumming, T.M. Social stories in robot-assisted therapy for children with autism. UNSW ethics approval number: HC15655.
2016 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Collaborative Scheme. Strnadová, I., & Johnson, K. The search for belonging. Belonging and social inclusion as perceived by people with intellectual disabilities. UNSW ethics approval number: HC16132.
2016 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Education. Strnadová, I. Transitions in the lives of older adults with intellectual disability: Listening to the voices of adults, their parents, and their siblings. UNSW ethics approval number:HC16224.
2015 - 2018 Australian Research Council. Dowse, L., Mendes, P., Strnadová, I., Lee, J.S., Cumming, T.M., Snow, P., Smith, L., Ellem, K., Birt, E. (2015-2017). Lost in Transition: supporting young people with complex support needs. ARC LP15.
2015 UNSW School of Education, NSW Department of Education, and NSW Department of Juvenile Justice. O’Neill, S., Strnadová, I., & Cumming, T. (2015). How Juvenile Justice and Education support the transition of school-aged youth from within a custodial environment to the community: Lessons to be learned and celebrations to share. UNSW ethics approval number: HC15100; SERAP ethics approval number: 2015031; DJJ ethics approval – Doc Ref: D15/147/15.
2014 - 2016 Charles University Research Council, Czech Republic. Bernoldová, J., Strnadová, I., & Adamčíková, Z. Motherhood of women with intellectual disability: Analysis of the current support and factors influencing the effort to becoming a successful mother.
2014 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Cumming, T., & Strnadová, I. Transitions of students with emotional and behavioural disorders: A flexible integration model.
2013 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Strnadová, I., & Cumming, T. Transitions of students with developmental disabilities: Fostering School-Home Partnerships.
2012 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dowse, L., Lee, J.S., Strnadová, I., & Cumming, T. Young people with disabilities in the criminal justice system: Exploring patterns of involvement and frameworks of intervention.
2012 UNSW Goldstar Award - Strnadová, I., & Cumming, T. Investigating the coping skills of ageing women with intellectual disabilities: Developing a strategy-based framework for promoting healthy ageing.
2012 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Cumming, T., & Strnadová, I. Survey of positive behavioural supports and wraparound services supporting students with intellectual disabilities.
2011 University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Strnadová, I., & Cumming, T. Women with intellectual disabilities becoming active researchers: Using iPads to facilitate research training.
2009 Go8 European Fellowship. Strnadová, I. Well-being of women with intellectual Disabilities: voices of women and their families. HREC, University of Sydney, 04-2008/10575.
AWARDS
2018 - CDS Excellence Award in Research 2018, awarded by the Centre for Disability Studies, University of Sydney.
2017 - The Ralph Rawlinson Perpetual Award to the UNSW Special and Inclusive Research Group (SIERG) for Education of Disadvantaged Students. This award is awarded by the Australian College of Educators (ACE) Inner Sydney Region Annual Awards 2017.
2017 - The Self Advocacy, Inc. “2017 J. Moss Award”. This award is awarded by the Self Advocacy Sydney, Inc. to a person “who has done outstanding working the field of intellectual disability”.
2017 - The Faculty of Arts & Social Science Dean’s Research Awards in the category “Achievements in Research Leadership”.
2017 - Shortlisted for the UNSW, Faculty of Arts & Social Science Dean’s Research Awards in the category “Best Monograph”.
2016 - The PGC Supervisor Award by the Postgraduate Council (PGC) at UNSW; this award is given to successfully student-nominated HDR supervisors (nominations are reviewed and selected by ARC) every year.
2015 - Shortlisted for the UNSW, Faculty of Arts & Social Science Dean’s Research Awards in the category “Achievements in Research Leadership”.
2009 - The Go8 European Fellowship Award.
Current board roles
2018 - Secretary of the Self-Advocacy Sydney, Inc. (SAS)
2017 - Member of the Special Education Committee of the Board of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) as a person with expertise in the special education sector in NSW
2017 - Executive Member of The Special Interest Research Group on Parents and Parenting with Intellectual Disabilities (SIRG/PID), International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities (IASSID)
2011 - NSW Committee member of the Australian Association of Special Education (AASE)
Past board roles
2015 - 2021 Vice-president of NSW Committee of the Australian Association of Special Education (AASE)
2018 President of the Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
2017 - 2018 Vice-president of the Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
2016 - 2018 National Councillor of the Australian Association of Special Education (AASE)
2011 - 2018 Member of the Management Committee of the Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
2004 – 2010 Member of the committee for the Association for Intellectual Disability (scientific organization focused on mental retardation in the Czech Republic)
My Research Supervision
UNSW Sydney
PhD students
Michelle Wai Yun Tso – Friendship experiences of adolescent girls on the autism spectrum
Manjekah Dunn – Co-designing and evaluating Easy Read resources about genes and genetic testing for individuals with intellectual disability
Murni Sianturi (Scientia Scholar) – Technology and family-school partnerships
MD Badiuzzaman (Scientia Scholar) – The impact of digital divide on families of students with disabilities involved in technology integrated family-school partnerships
EdD students
Georgie Enderson – The primary to secondary school transition of students with intellectual disabilities: Students’, parents’ and teachers’ experiences and perspectives
Janet Cairncross – Belonging and students with intellectual disabilities in mainstream secondary schools
Michelle Davies – Supporting siblings through programs/initiatives where there is a disability in the family
Helen Shearing – Love me but let me go: Reviewing current practices to improve the outcomes and opportunities for young people with disabilities post-school.
Master by Research students
Sarah Hayes – Sex education for high students with intellectual disability: Rights and relationships program research evaluation
Honours students
Chloe Molnar - A mixed methods evaluation of the GeneEQUAL Educational Toolkit: A collection of resources promoting inclusive, person-centred and respectful genomic healthcare for people with intellectual disability
My Teaching
EDST4080 Special Education: Inclusive Strategies (BA/BEd)
EDST5113 Autism Spectrum (MEd)
EDST5111 Intellectual Disabilities (MEd)