George is a PhD candidate in Health Sociology at the University of Auckland. A registered midwife, George is passionate about women’s health and believes that high quality women’s health care is a cornerstone to achieving gender equity for women. George’s doctoral research is examining the fertility and maternity care experiences of women with a high BMI in the context of recent medical concern about the relationship between obesity and reproduction. The goal of her research is to ensure that developments in women’s health care actually enhance women’s health outcomes and are just and equitable.
George previously completed a Masters of Philosophy in Women’s Studies with Distinction from Massey University and lectures in the medical humanities programme at Auckland Medical School. In 2012 George was selected to be a non-governmental representative at the United Nation’s review of New Zealand’s implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in New York.
George has published a number of articles on the politics of women’s health in academic journals and edited books including the forthcoming book by Demeter Press ‘Heavy burdens: stories of motherhood and fatness’. George is regularly approached to present to women’s health professional groups about her research, and has been invited to write up her remaining doctoral findings as a volume in a new book series being commissioned by Palgrave on technologies of family formation.
George plans to pursue opportunities for post-doctoral study and research fellowships in women’s health on the completion of her doctorate.