Bob Birrell

Bob Birrell "is co-director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research, and Reader in Sociology at Monash University. He is joint editor (with Katharine Betts) of the quarterly demographic journal People and Place, published by CPUR.

"Bob has a degree in economics from Melbourne University, in history from University of London (first class honours) and a PhD in Sociology from Princeton University. Most of his academic work has been at Monash University and since 1991 this work has focussed on running the CPUR. He has acted as an advisor on immigration issues to both Labor and Coalition governments and was a member of the Commonwealth Government's National Population Council from 1987–1993. Recently he was a member of the independent Review of the General Skilled Migration Program which reported in May 2006. Bob is currently a member of the Department of Education, Science and Training's International Education Advisory body."

His research has meant that he has explored "Australia's changing family and fertility situation.. in A not so perfect match: the growing male/female divide 1986–1996 (CPUR 1998) and Men and women apart: partnering in Australia (Australian Family Association, 2004), both with Virginia Rapson."