Belinda is an interdisciplinary scholar working at the interface between social policy, health policy, and governance, and is a leader in the field of public health political science. 

She has published in the top-ranked international journals in her field including Critical Public Health, Nature Food, Social Science and Medicine, Globalization and Health, Public Health Nutrition and Health Promotion International, authoring or co-authoring 48 journal articles, 6 book chapters, and 50 reports and opinion pieces. 

Dr Townsend holds a PhD in political science from Deakin University, having graduated with first class honours in political theory. Her work examines social policy for health, including agenda-setting in areas outside the health policy domain such as trade and investment, employment, and social and welfare policy. She has given lectures for a range of national and international associations on the topic of global governance for health. 

Dr Townsend has served as an expert witness for Australia's Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on trade and health and has presented her research on the impact of trade agreements on health in Australia and abroad to government officials participating in Asia and the Pacific regional trade agreements. 

Belinda is an experienced and highly respected educator and has delivered research-led teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level. She aims for her teaching to have a clear research and practitioner applicability. She has received awards for her supervision of higher degree by research projects. Her work has also been featured in media (TV; print; radio) and she has given more than 50 invited presentations nationally and globally with a diverse range of policy audiences.