Professor Willetts specialises in applied research to inform policy and practice in international development. She is global expert in water and sanitation, and has also contributed to gender equality, governance, climate change, civil society and private sector roles in development, and monitoring, evaluation and development effectiveness.
Her achievements have been recognised by multiple international, national and UTS awards, including as a finalist in the Australian Financial Reviews’ 100 Women of Influence and a winner of the International Water Association Applied Research in Sanitation Award. She holds a PhD from University of NSW in Environmental Engineering. Juliet adopts a transdisciplinary research approach, drawing on science, engineering, public health and social sciences to co-produce knowledge with relevant stakeholders.
She works in partnerships that support the Australian aid program and other bilateral and multilateral agencies, including Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, WHO, UNICEF, WB, SNV Development Organisation, WaterAid and many others. She has led seven major research grants and undertaken more than 100 research or evaluation projects. She is co-author of 9 book chapters, more than 100 peer-reviewed journal and conference articles, 80 other conference publications and more than 120 industry research reports, public publications and guidance materials.