Dr. Louise Alexander is an Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing at Deakin University's School of Nursing & Midwifery (Faculty of Health). She holds prior academic roles including Senior Lecturer (ACU, 2018–2023) and Lecturer positions (ACU and Holmesglen Institute). Her research focuses on mental health nursing workforce sustainability, stigma reduction, simulation-based education, and curriculum development. Key interests include nurse resilience, pandemic impacts on healthcare workers, and improving student attitudes towards mental illness. Education: PhD from Deakin University; GCHE qualification Certifications: University of Melbourne's Emerging Leaders & Management Program (2021–2022) Teaching: Leads courses in forensic mental health, therapeutic communication, and health promotion Research Highlights: Recent work examines pandemic trauma among nurses, alcohol consumption trends post-COVID, and leadership's role in workforce retention. Her studies emphasize qualitative methods and integrative reviews to address systemic challenges in mental health nursing education and practice. Awards/Grants: No explicit awards listed; research supported by institutional collaborations. Active in developing transition-to-practice programs and evaluating simulation-based training efficacy. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on mental health workforce resilience and stigma reduction initiatives. Engages in national and international nursing education networks.
Dr. Barbara Barbosa Neves is a sociologist of technology and ageing at the University of Sydney’s Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, holding a prestigious Sydney Horizon Fellowship in AI Social Science. She specializes in loneliness, social isolation, and digital inequalities in later life, with over $6 million in competitive funding from global bodies. Her research bridges sociology and computer science, focusing on inclusive technology design for older adults. Education: PhD in Sociology. Formerly an Associate Director at the Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab, University of Toronto, Canada. Visiting positions at Oxford, Oslo, Louvain, and Toronto. Research Interests: Sociology of Technology , Aging Anxieties , Healthcare AI , and Ageism . Her work examines how AI, VR, and robotics can benefit older adults while addressing ethical and social challenges. Key themes include combating age-based digital divides and designing technologies that align with care ethics. Grants & Projects: Lead Investigator for the $1M+ evaluation of Australia’s Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme, ARC Discovery Project on loneliness and technology, and MRFF-funded dementia studies. Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, including computer scientists and policy experts. Awards: 28+ international awards, including Mather Awards (US), George Story Distinguished Lecturer, and Fellowships from the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Public Engagement: Over 200 media contributions, including ABC op-eds and SBS documentaries. Her research informs policy and public discourse on aging, technology, and social equity.
Dr Richard O'Quinn is a Lecturer in Management & Leadership at the School of Business, University of Queensland. He holds qualifications including a PhD from UQ, an MBA, and military degrees from institutions like the US Army Command and General Staff College. With a 23-year career in the US Army Special Operations Forces, his expertise bridges military strategy and academic leadership studies. Research & Teaching: Richard focuses on leadership, strategic decision-making, and organization studies using practice and process perspectives. He teaches in graduate, MBA, and executive education programs, emphasizing practical applications of leadership theory. Recent Research Trends: His work increasingly addresses veterans’ mental health in workplaces, cybersecurity policy, and organizational improvement. Notable projects include seed-funded studies on cybersecurity decision-making and veteran PTSD disclosure challenges. Grants & Collaborations: Funded projects include a 2022-2024 study on veteran mental health disclosure (East Coast Apprenticeships) and a 2021 project developing strategic decision-making simulations (Practera). He also contributes to UQ Cyber initiatives and national cybersecurity strategy submissions. Awards: None explicitly listed, but his work garners attention for bridging military and civilian organizational challenges.
Aurora Elmes is a Research Fellow at Swinburne University of Technology, affiliated with the School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship and the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne. She holds a PhD from Swinburne, a Master of Social Work from RMIT University, and a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts from Deakin University. Her research is deeply interdisciplinary, bridging business, public health, and social policy to explore how work environments and social enterprises can promote mental health and inclusive participation. Doctor of Philosophy, Swinburne University of Technology Master of Social Work, RMIT University Bachelor of Contemporary Arts, Deakin University Her research interests focus on mental health and wellbeing in the context of social enterprise, inclusive employment, and organizational culture. She investigates how policies and workplace practices can support social and economic participation, particularly for people with lived experience of mental illness or psychosocial disability. Her work often employs mixed-methods and longitudinal designs to evaluate real-world interventions, such as employment-focused social enterprises and NDIS psychosocial recovery coaching. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward evaluating the impact of social enterprises and public policy on mental health. Her work spans academic journals, comprehensive reports, and book chapters, consistently emphasizing the intersection of social justice, health, and organizational design. She frequently collaborates with not-for-profits, government agencies, and foundations, indicating a strong applied and policy-relevant research orientation. She has been recognized for her scholarly contributions, including a Literari Awards 2020 - Highly Commended Paper from Emerald Publishing. Her research is supported by a robust portfolio of grants from organizations such as Support Act Limited, ACHIEVE FOUNDATION LIMITED, and the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (Vic). These grants fund projects on mental health in creative industries, disability employment, and financial wellbeing in social enterprises. Aurora Elmes actively supervises research and is available to supervise PhD candidates. She leads major evaluations and research studies, often in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Her work is embedded in real-world settings, such as Vanguard Laundry and NDIS service providers, demonstrating a commitment to impactful, community-engaged scholarship. She is also affiliated with research groups including the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne and contributes to public discourse through platforms like The Conversation and The Power to Persuade.
Associate Professor Anna Eriksson is an international leader in comparative penology and criminal justice reform at Monash University's Department of Criminology. She holds roles as Convenor of the Criminology program and previously led the Bachelor of Criminology degree. Her work bridges empirical research with interdisciplinary theory, focusing on Nordic penal exceptionalism, neurodisabilities in criminal justice systems, and veterans' transitions between military and correctional environments. Research highlights include a 2012 DECRA Fellowship exploring 'othering' in Australian and Norwegian prisons, and an ARC Discovery Grant (2021–2026) on social infrastructure in prisons. Collaborations span Canada, the UK, and Germany, addressing prison staff dynamics and neurodisability policy. She co-edited Neurodisability and the Criminal Justice System (Edward Elgar, 2021) and advises the Open Door network on veteran integration. Key awards include the 2009 New Scholar Award and a 2013 High Commendation for her book Contrasts in Punishment . Her media engagement includes podcasts and expert commentary on youth detention design and prison reform. Research Themes: Nordic penal systems, restorative justice, veterans in criminal justice, arts-based interventions. Grants: ARC DECRA (2012), SSHRC Insight (2020), ARC Discovery (2021). Publications: Over 50 articles/chapters, including works on prison staff interactions, neurodisability policy, and cross-cultural penology.
Associate Professor Erica Southgate is a leading researcher at the University of Newcastle , specializing in emerging educational technologies with a focus on virtual reality and AI ethics . Her work bridges digital learning and sociology of education , emphasizing equity in education and technology accessibility for all learners. PhD and BEd from University of Newcastle 2016 Equity Fellow for national research 2017 ASCILITE Innovation Award Southgate's research explores how immersive technologies can transform education through student content creation , ethical frameworks , and curriculum redesign . Recent studies focus on generative AI policy , VR learning environments , and digital footprint management . Her VR School Study demonstrates practical implementation strategies. Key publications include the first VR education book and AI ethics guidelines for Australian Government. She leads the Digital Identity, Curation and Education (DICE) research network and advocates for human rights in educational technology .
Andrea McCloughen is an Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing and Director Academic Education at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney. She holds a PhD from University of Western Sydney and is a respected researcher and clinician in mental health nursing, with expertise in Open Dialogue, emotion regulation, and healthcare education. Her leadership roles include Director Postgraduate Advanced Studies and Coordinator of Mental Health Nursing programs. She is a Fellow of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses and Senior Fellow of Advance HE. Education: PhD (UWS), MN (Mental Health) (UWS), BN (UWS) Certifications: Credentialled Mental Health Nurse, Open Dialogue Therapist, Mental Health First Aid Instructor Research focuses on Open Dialogue practices, mental health service innovations, and healthcare student education. Key projects include implementing Open Dialogue in schools and mental health systems, and examining physical health management in mental health populations. Teaching contributions span undergraduate and postgraduate nursing programs, emphasizing recovery-oriented care and advanced practice roles. She has led multiple educational grants totaling over $100k, including innovations in clinical debrief models and cooperative learning with mental health consumers. Awarded over a dozen honors including the Makers and Shapers Award (2023) and multiple Best Paper awards. Supervised 12+ HDR students, with active projects on emergency nursing protocols and Open Dialogue impacts. Collaborates internationally, particularly with Danish researchers on physical health in schizophrenia.
Dr. Anna Hartman is a Lecturer in Marketing at The Australian National University's Research School of Management. She holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of Melbourne, along with advanced degrees in Marketing Communications and a background in Clinical Nutrition. Her research focuses on consumer culture theory, institutional dynamics, and market legitimacy, particularly in contested markets like reproductive care and aesthetic services. PhD: Marketing, University of Melbourne (2022) MCom: Marketing, University of Melbourne (2017) MSc: Integrated Marketing Communications, Golden Gate University (2011) B.A.: Culture, Ecology & Sustainable Community (2005) DipHlthSci: Clinical Nutrition (2003) Research Interests: Dr. Hartman examines how social evaluations (legitimacy, stigma, authenticity) shape markets, with a focus on cultural consumption and institutional microfoundations. Her work bridges consumer research, organizational studies, and strategic communications, addressing ethical dilemmas in markets such as donor-assisted conception and aesthetic services. Her recent projects explore passionate publics in online reviews, gender equity in academia, and the dynamics of cross-border reproductive care marketing. She currently leads a project on social evaluations in sustainable food systems. Registered to supervise postgraduate students Research grants: Capturing Social Evaluations on Sustainable Food Systems (2024–2025) Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research teams focusing on market legitimacy and healthcare marketing ethics.
Professor Leanne Cutcher is a distinguished academic in the University of Sydney Business School's Department of Management and Organization Studies. She holds a BA(Hons) from UNSW and a PhD from the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on equity, inclusion, and hybrid organizational practices in Indigenous and alternative organizations, including co-operatives and social enterprises. Key areas include age identities, organizational commemoration, and the intersection of Indigenous knowledge with business strategies. She leads an ARC-funded project (2023–2025) examining hybrid strategies in Indigenous organizations and collaborates with the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership (University of Melbourne). Her work bridges profit and non-profit sectors, with notable contributions to studies on age dynamics, workplace inclusion, and memory practices in organizations such as firefighting agencies. Professor Cutcher supervises doctoral students exploring Indigenous entrepreneurship, organizational governance in sports, and coal-mining communities' spatial justice. She has authored over 50 publications, including books on retail banking and co-operatives. Her awards include a Fellowship from the Royal Society of NSW and grants from the Australian Research Council. Her teaching and research emphasize reflexive methodologies and critical analyses of organizational practices, with a focus on marginalized groups and cultural intersections. Notable collaborations include work with the Country Fire Authority on commemoration practices and Vietnam-based social enterprises addressing stigma in health services.
Professor Peter A. Heslin is a Professor of Management at UNSW Business School and an Academic Fellow at Warrane College. He holds a Scientia Education Fellowship and is a Registered Psychologist. His research focuses on learning agility, leadership development, career success, and well-being, particularly through the lens of mindset theory. He pioneered studies on organizational growth mindsets and authored the most cited sole-authored article on career success. His work often bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges in employee engagement, sustainable careers, and recovery from stress. Education: B.A. (Hons), M.Psych (Applied), PhD in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management. Research Interests: He explores how mindsets influence career trajectories, leadership effectiveness, and organizational behavior. Key themes include learning mode dynamics, resilience, and the role of situational cues in shaping career outcomes. His recent work examines successful aging and the impact of growth mindsets on entrepreneurial actions. Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including influential works on goal-setting, career resilience, and mindset interventions. His research spans outlets like Journal of Vocational Behavior , Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice , and Organizational Dynamics . Awards: Elected Chair of the Academy of Management Careers Division (2020–present), Scientia Education Fellow (UNSW Sydney). Advising & Grants: Collaborates with institutions like the Army Research Institute on mindset applications in professional development. His work emphasizes practical interventions for organizations and individuals. Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary teams at UNSW, focusing on career psychology and leadership development. Key collaborations include partnerships with Lauren Keating and Sue Ashford on mindset dynamics.
Kathleen Riach is an Adjunct Professor (Research) in the Department of Management at Monash Business School, Monash University. She is actively engaged in research on ageing at work, gender, identity, and workplace inclusion, with a recent focus on menopause and leadership equity in healthcare. She collaborates widely across institutions and sectors and is involved in PhD supervision. Research Interests: Ageing and employment Gender and career trajectories Workplace menopause support Organizational equality and diversity Emotions, sexuality, and the body at work Qualitative and arts-based methodologies Her research explores how marginalized aspects of identity shape workplace experiences. She has led major projects on advancing women in healthcare leadership and supplier diversity, often using interdisciplinary and innovative methods. Recent Publication Trends: Her recent work centers on menopause in the workplace, gender equity in healthcare leadership, and ageing in professional contexts. Her publications appear in top journals such as Organization Studies , Human Relations , and JAMA Network Open , reflecting interdisciplinary impact across management, sociology, and public health. Scientific Awards: Monash Business School Dean's Award for Research Excellence (2016) Advising and Grants: She is accepting PhD students and has been a Chief Investigator on multiple competitive grants, including NHMRC-funded projects. Notable projects include Advancing Women in Healthcare Leadership and Menopause Information Pack for Organizations (MIPO) , which translates research into practical workplace resources. Labs and Teams: She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at Monash University, the University of Melbourne, and healthcare institutions. She co-leads initiatives like MIPO, which aims to embed menopause support in organizational practice through open-access resources.
S. Alexander Haslam is a Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology and Laureate Fellow at the University of Queensland's School of Psychology, where he maintains an active research program with over 300 peer-reviewed articles and 15 authored or edited books. He currently serves as Associate Editor of The Leadership Quarterly and previously held the Chief Editor role for the European Journal of Social Psychology . His work bridges academia and real-world application through interventions like Groups 4 Health and More Than Sport, targeting mental health via social identity principles. Haslam's research centers on social identity theory and group processes across organizational, health, and social contexts. He examines how shared identities influence leadership, mental health outcomes, and collective resilience, with key applications in workplace stress, athletic performance, retirement transitions, and emergency response interoperability. His social identity model of leadership challenges traditional views by emphasizing group-based influence, while interventions such as social identity mapping directly address loneliness through community identification. The 2025 articles reveal three dominant trends: (1) mental health applications in high-stress occupations (construction, emergency services), (2) identity leadership in sports across cultures, and (3) organizational identity in crisis scenarios. Methodologically, they feature randomized controlled trials, longitudinal designs, and cross-national collaborations—particularly in Japan and Europe—validating the social identity approach for loneliness reduction, team performance, and ethical behavior. Common threads include psychological safety, group membership multiplicity, and intervention scalability. Scientific awards include Distinguished Contribution to Psychological Science from both the Australian Psychological Society and British Psychological Society, plus his 2022 appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia for 'significant service to higher education, particularly psychology, through research and mentoring.' While specific grant details are absent, his work is embedded in major collaborative projects like the Global Identity Leadership Development Project and pandemic response studies. He mentors researchers globally, with his leadership evident in large-scale cross-cultural teams (e.g., 25+ co-authors on Capitol attack analysis). Policy impact is demonstrated through advisory roles in social prescribing and mental health frameworks. Haslam co-leads the Groups 4 Health intervention team and develops tools including the Identity Leadership Inventory–Youth (ILI-Y) and Visual Identity Leadership Scale (VILS). His research group collaborates across sports, clinical, and emergency domains, with ongoing projects on psychedelic therapy, retirement transitions, and AI-human interaction. The BBC Prison Study remains a foundational reference for his organizational identity work.
Associate Professor James N. Kirby is a Clinical Psychologist and Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group at the School of Psychology, University of Queensland. He holds affiliate positions at the Parenting and Family Support Centre, Early Cognitive Development Centre, and Centre for Health Outcomes, Innovation and Clinical Education (CHOICE), all within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. Additionally, he maintains a Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and is an Honorary Member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation UK. Dr. Kirby earned his Bachelor (Honours) of Psychological Science and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Queensland. His expertise spans clinical psychology with a specialization in compassion research and interventions. Dr. Kirby's research focuses on compassion and its applications in mental health. His work examines factors that facilitate and inhibit compassionate responding, with particular attention to how compassion-focused interventions help address self-criticism and shame underlying depression and anxiety disorders. His research spans multiple domains including parenting, athlete well-being, mental health in the performing arts, and compassion in healthcare settings. He investigates compassion from multiple angles: as a transdiagnostic treatment target, its neurophysiological correlates, its relationship to social rank and attachment, and its application in diverse populations including autistic adults and fathers. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on practical compassion-focused interventions across diverse contexts. There's a clear trend toward examining compassion's physiological correlates (particularly heart rate variability), its application in specific populations (autistic adults, athletes, performing artists), and its role in addressing specific mental health challenges like weight stigma in lipoedema. His work increasingly incorporates digital assessment tools and examines compassion in everyday life through experience sampling methods. The research demonstrates how compassion functions as a cross-cutting therapeutic mechanism applicable across multiple mental health conditions. Associate Editor, Mindfulness journal Associate Editor, Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice Author of Choose Compassion (2022) Co-editor of Making an Impact on Mental Health (2020) Co-author of Essentials of Compassion Focused Therapy: A Practice Manual for Clinicians (2024) Dr. Kirby is actively involved in research supervision, currently overseeing multiple PhD candidates across diverse projects related to compassion. His current supervision includes research on deepening self-compassion, online compassion skills training, compassion in healthcare, gender and sexuality perspectives on body image, and compassion-based interventions for caregivers of children born preterm. He has successfully supervised several PhD students to completion, with research focusing on social and affective impacts of attachment, compassion-focused therapy for body weight shame, neurophysiological correlates of compassion, and compassion in parenting contexts. His grants portfolio includes projects funded by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Anglicare Southern Queensland, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, and YoungCare Ltd. As Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group, Dr. Kirby leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to advancing the science and application of compassion. His current research examines compassion in blood donation, the justice system, traumatic pregnancy, and compassionate decision-making, demonstrating the breadth and impact of his work across multiple domains of human experience.
Professor Angela Martin is a Professorial Research Fellow in Work and Mental Health at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, working half-time since 2019. She holds a PhD in Organizational Psychology (Griffith University, 2002) and has extensive academic leadership roles, including Associate Dean of Research and Management Discipline Leader at the Tasmanian School of Business & Economics before transitioning to Menzies. Her research focuses on workplace mental health, psychosocial safety climate, and psychological capital, with a strong emphasis on translating research into practical interventions. Key areas include mental health management in SMEs, work-family dynamics, and leadership development. She has led major projects funded by NHMRC, ARC, and industry partners, including the 'Integrated Workplace Mental Health Promotion' initiative and evaluations of suicide prevention strategies. Teaching and supervision are central to her work, having supervised over 20 doctoral students and developed curricula recognized nationally. Awards include Vice-Chancellor's Citation (2008) and Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation (2009) for innovative teaching resources. She also advises government bodies like the Australian Public Service Commission on mental health frameworks and workplace policies. Martin collaborates internationally on projects like the International Study of Work and Family (ISWAF) and has co-authored influential textbooks such as Organizational Behaviour and Communication for Business . Her recent work explores community paramedicine and the mental health of veterinary professionals, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary solutions for workplace wellbeing.
Dr. Anna Sidis is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Wollongong's School of Psychology within the Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. With over 20 years of clinical experience as a Clinical Psychologist specializing in youth mental health, she holds dual appointments as both Senior Lecturer and Deputy Director of Postgraduate Psychology Programs (since January 2024). She serves as Chair of the Social Sciences Human Research Ethics Committee, demonstrating significant institutional leadership. Her educational background includes a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (2001-2004) and Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Sydney. Her teaching portfolio spans undergraduate and postgraduate programs covering Family Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Psychosis assessment, Suicide Prevention, Grief counseling, and Critical Psychology. Dr. Sidis' research focuses on dialogical and community approaches to mental health care, with particular expertise in co-production methodologies, qualitative research, and critical psychology. Her work addresses critical areas including youth mental health, early psychosis intervention, suicide prevention, bereavement support (especially cancer-related grief), and service user involvement in care design. Analysis of her 22 publications reveals consistent emphasis on qualitative methodologies, therapist-client interaction dynamics, and innovative service delivery models like Open Dialogue. Her funded research includes projects examining barriers to mental health access for youth with co-morbid substance use, dialogical therapy implementation ('Always opening and never closing' grant), and community-based suicide prevention initiatives. She actively supervises five higher degree research students working on topics ranging from virtual reality exposure therapy to sports-based suicide prevention. Barriers to access and engagement of young people with co-morbid substance use (2022-2024) 'Always opening and never closing' dialogical therapy study (2022) Innovation and Evaluation Grant for youth mental health access (2022) Dr. Sidis maintains active clinical research networks through her role as Deputy Director of Postgraduate Programs and Ethics Committee leadership, while her 15 most recent publications demonstrate growing international impact with citations across multiple platforms including Wikipedia references and social media engagement.
