She attended Lyneham High School, followed by the Australian National University, where she gained a Bachelor of Arts with honours in 1974.

[2] Simms transferred to La Trobe University and went on to complete a PhD under the supervision of Australia's first woman chair of politics, Joan Rydon.

[1][3][4][5][6] Simms left Otago to join Deakin University as Head of the School of History, Heritage and Society.

[8] Simms chaired the International Political Science Association's Research Committee on Gender, Globalization and Democratization for three years, from 2003.

[1] Simms was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003, for "her contribution made to Australian society, specifically for her research on the 1901 election".