Professor Emerita Maev O'Collins is an Honorary Visiting Fellow in the Department of Political and Social Change at the Australian National University. She obtained her BA from the University of Melbourne and a Doctorate of Social Work from Columbia University, New York. She taught sociology and social work at the University of Papua New Guinea and was appointed Professor of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology in 1979. She was awarded an MBE in the Papua New Guinea honours list in 1987 and the title of Emeritus Professor when she retired in 1989. Her research interests include South Pacific nations and Norfolk Island.