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Research Fellow, Research School of Psychology, Australian National University

I am a criminologist based at Research School of Psychology at the ANU. Following on from my work with the Australian Intervention Support Hub in 2015/16, I now run a group called the Youth Engagement Advisory Hub. Rather than taking a 'countering violent extremism' approach, my work and ethnographical research is grounded on the notion that, to adequately address anti-social and violent behaviour in young people, all efforts must be embedded within activities that engage and support families and communities rather than alienate them. Therefore, community partnerships are essential to the success of the longer-term goals of community safety and harmony. I work together with a range of international and domestic experts including psychologists, criminologists and sociologists to provide support to community groups working with troubled young people.

I have several other areas of research expertise, which focus on prisons, radicalisation, rehabilitation, organised crime and gangs/prison gangs. I am currently exploring how different prison environments influence terrorist inmates beliefs and behaviour: that is, whether certain prison environments inhibit or foster prison radicalisation. I compare the beliefs and behaviours of two groups of terrorist inmates incarcerated in two different correctional facilities in the Philippines. I also examine prison reform in the Philippines corrective system and the effects of prison gangs, overcrowding and corruption on this reformation process. In doing so, I examine inmate self-governance and the functional importance of prison gangs for prison order and management in highly overcrowded correctional facilities.

In 2015 I won the top ANU media award - the Vice Chancellor's Award for Advancing the Reputation of the University Through Media. I also won the 24/7 Award for the Most Impressive Media Performance. In 2014 I received the ANU Strategic Communications & Public Affairs Award as an Emerging Talent.

Experience

  • –present
    Visiting Fellow, terrorist radicalisation and prison radicalisation, Australian National University

Education

  • 2010 
    University of NSW, PhD