Researcher biography

Honorary Associate Professor Samara McPhedran has a strong interest in multidisciplinary and applied research that sits at the intersection of law, psychology, and public policy. She holds qualifications in law and psychology, and her work has been published widely in both academic and mainstream media outlets. She has produced over 100 scholarly journal articles, book chapters, reports and presentations, in areas including mental health, gender-based and other violence, homicide, suicide, and gun control. She has worked extensively in legislative and policy evaluation in criminology and public health.

She has held research, policy, and program management positions within government and academia, as well as in the private sector. She currently runs her own consultancy business. Prior to that, she was the Founding Director of the Griffith University Homicide Research Unit. She has also served as the Deputy Director of the Griffith University Violence Research and Prevention Program, and was a Senior Research Fellow with the Australian Institute of Suicide Research and Prevention. She has held Honorary title with the Department of Economics, University of Otago (New Zealand).

She is a member of the Editorial Board for the top-ranking journal Trauma, Violence, & Abuse and a reviewer for over 40 international journals. She has received funding from sources including the Australian Research Council, Australian Institute of Criminology, Queensland Corrective Services, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Dr McPhedran has a track record of providing evidence-based recommendations to decision-makers to guide legislative and policy change. She has served on a number of high-level advisory groups, including state and federal Ministerial panels. She is actively involved in professional and community organisations, including as the current Treasurer of the QLD Branch of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (ANZAPPL) and the current Chairperson of the Queensland Homicide Victims’ Support Group (QHVSG).