Leah Ruppanner Professor Leah Ruppanner is a leading sociologist at the University of Melbourne and Vanderbilt University and one of the foremost voices on gender, work and equity.

Recognised as Australia's top in field for Gender Studis (2022 and 2023) and Sociology (2023), she is the author of Motherlands (2020) and Drained: Reduce your mental load to do less and be more (2026).

As founder of the Future of Work Lab and the Gender Equity Initiative, Ruppanner's research drives real-world change in workplaces and policy. Her insights have been featured by The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Vox and CNN, and she is the host of the acclaimed podcast MissPerceived, where she unpacks modern gender myths with data and wit. Read More Read Less