Adrian Cherney

Professor Adrian Cherney is a leading academic in the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland, specializing in violent extremism, counter-terrorism, and policing strategies. His research focuses on CVE (Countering Violent Extremism) program evaluation, violent extremism risk assessment, and the role of procedural justice in policing. He has held an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship and collaborated with police agencies and governments across Australia. His work spans academic publications, policy reports, and systematic reviews, with over 150 outputs including books, journal articles, and research reports.

Cherney's research priorities include assessing the efficacy of interventions targeting radicalized individuals, validating risk assessment tools like the VERA-2R, and understanding mechanisms of radicalization and deradicalization. He has evaluated programs such as the Proactive Integrated Support Model (PRISM) and contributed to national frameworks for CVE evaluation. His interdisciplinary approach integrates criminology, behavioral science, and policy analysis, addressing global counterterrorism challenges.

Key achievements include:

• Securing $6M+ in research funding from ARC, Home Affairs, and state governments
• Developing metrics for CVE program evaluation and policy implementation
• Leading studies on disguised compliance in CVE programs and youth radicalization
• Collaborating with police agencies (NSW, QLD, Victoria) and correctional services

His current projects focus on validating the VERA-2R tool, analyzing open-source extremist data (PIRA database), and exploring conspiracy-fuelled extremism threats. He emphasizes practical policy impacts, bridging academic research with real-world counterterrorism strategies.