Cassandra Wright

Cassandra Wright is a Senior Research Fellow specializing in Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease research with significant contributions to public health, particularly in alcohol consumption, substance use, and mental health. Her work actively engages with UN Sustainable Development Goals through research addressing health promotion, substance abuse prevention, and wellbeing across diverse populations.

Dr. Wright's research interests focus on understanding health behaviors through multiple methodological approaches. She specializes in examining alcohol consumption patterns among working mothers, the impact of policy on substance use, and mental health outcomes during public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work often employs qualitative methods including semistructured interviews and ecological momentary assessment alongside systematic reviews and mixed-methods approaches to provide comprehensive insights into complex health behaviors.

Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on contemporary public health challenges, particularly examining how major societal disruptions like the pandemic affect vulnerable populations. Dr. Wright's work consistently bridges academic research with practical policy implications, as demonstrated by her current project 'Unpacking the policy process: alcohol policy in complex social environments' which runs from 2024-2026. Her research outputs have gained significant attention with multiple publications picked up by news outlets and social media platforms.

Dr. Wright is registered to supervise postgraduate research and has contributed to 74 research outputs throughout her career. Her work has established her as a significant contributor to Australian public health research, particularly in understanding substance use patterns and developing evidence-based interventions.

Her current research portfolio demonstrates strong engagement with real-world health challenges, particularly through her active project examining alcohol policy in complex social environments. Dr. Wright collaborates extensively with researchers across Australia and internationally, contributing to a robust network focused on preventing chronic disease and promoting wellbeing through evidence-based approaches.