| 1961 | Trained Primary Teachers' Certificate at Frankston Teachers' College, Victoria |
| 1962 - 1967 | Primary School Teacher in Victoria and New South Wales |
| 1972 - 1975 | Commonwealth Scholarship at Monash University, Victoria |
| 1974 - 1975 | Vacation Scholar in Anthropology at the Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University in Canberra |
| 1975 | Bachelor of Art with Honours (BA (Hons)) in Anthropology completed at Monash University in Victoria |
| 1976 | Tutor in Anthropology (part-time) at the Australian National University, Canberra |
| 1976 - 1980 | Postgraduate scholarship received from the Australian National University, Canberra |
| 1978 | Tutor in Anthropology (part-time) at the Australian National University, Canberra |
| 1981 | Senior Anthropologist for the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Protection Authority, Northern Territory |
| 1981 | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Anthropology completed at Australian National University (ANU), Canberra |
| 1982 | Private practice as a Consulting Anthropologist at Diane Bell and Associates (full-time position) |
| 1982 | Visiting Fellow in the Department of Prehistory and Anthropology at the Australian National University, Canberra |
| 1982 | Charles Strong Memorial Trust Fellow |
| 1983 | Research Fellow in Gender, Ideology and Politics in the South Pacific Workshop in Anthropology at the Research School of Pacific Studies at Australian National University, Canberra |
| 1983 - 1988 | Private practice as a Consulting Anthropologist at Diane Bell and Associates (part-time position) |
| 1984 - 1986 | Research Fellow on the Social Justice Project at the Research School of Social Sciences at Australian National University (ANU), Canberra |
| 1985 | Visiting Professor in the Women and Social Change Project at Smith College in Massachusetts, USA |
| 1986 | Landmark Volume on Women in Australia Author, Australian Bicentennial Authority, 1986-1988 |
| 1986 - 1988 | Professor of Australian Studies and Founding Director of the Centre for Australian Studies at Deakin University, Victoria |
| 1987 | Zonta High Achiever Award received, Geelong |
| 1988 | John Curtin Memorial Lecturer, Canberra |
| 1989 - 1998 | Henry R. Luce Professor of Religion, Economic Development and Social Justice at Holy Cross College in Massachusetts, USA |
| 1990 - 1991 | Overseas Media Commentator (bi-weekly broadcasts) for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) |
| 1990 - 1993 | Founding Director of Women's Studies at Holy Cross College in Massachusetts, USA |
| 1992 | Peter Craigie Memorial Lecturer at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada |
| 1993 - 1994 | Sabbatical to the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center in Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts and the Anthropology Department at Stanford University in California |
| 1996 - | Honorary Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Anthropology at Adelaide University |
| 1999 - | Professor of Anthropology and Director of Women’s Studies at the George Washington University in Washington DC, USA |
| 1999 | Finalist: Age Book of the Year for Ngarrindjeri Wurruwarrin: A World that is, was, and will be. (Melbourne: Spinifex, 1998) |
| 1999 | Finalist: Queensland Premier's History Award for Ngarrindjeri Wurruwarrin: A World that is, was, and will be. (Melbourne: Spinifex, 1998) |
| 1999 | New South Wales Premier's Gleebook Award received for cultural and literary criticism for Ngarrindjeri Wurruwarrin: A World that is, was, and will be. (Melbourne: Spinifex, 1998) |
| 2000 | Finalist: Gold Medal for the Australian Literary Society for Ngarrindjeri Wurruwarrin: A World that is, was, and will be. (Melbourne: Spinifex, 1998) |
| 2000 | Senior Scholar Special Commendation of Honor received from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) |
| 2000 - 2003 | Regional Editor for the Latin and North America Women’s Studies International Form |
| 2002 | Inducted into the Golden Key Honor Society, November 28, as an Honorary Member for "commitment to higher education and an outstanding job in capacity as Director of Women's Studies" |
