CONFERENCE ORGANISERS

Dr Caitlin Hughes is an Associate Professor in criminology and drug policy and Matthew Flinders Fellow at Flinders Criminology and the Centre for Social Impact, Flinders University. As one of the few criminologists and drug policy scholars internationally, Caitlin brings 18 years’ experience analysing legislative and law enforcement approaches towards drugs and working at the interface of criminal justice, health and social systems to build more effective policy responses. Caitlin engages extensively with policy makers, law enforcement and health officials from across and outside of Australia including eight years in United Nations fora and her work has contributed to policy and practice reforms in Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Portugal and USA. Caitlin is Flinders Node Lead and Program Co-Lead for the new Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Prisoner Reintegration; Visiting Fellow at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW; and President of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy.

Dr Melissa de Vel-Palumbo is a Senior Lecturer and Research Section Leader for the Criminology group at Flinders University, and a new ARC Discovery in Early Career Research Award Fellow. Her principal area of research is the rehabilitation and reintegration of people who have committed crime. She explores this topic from both a basic psychological basis (psychological processes driving positive attitudinal and behavioural change; punishment theory) as well as an applied criminological basis (the effects of particular criminal justice interventions or procedures on rehabilitative outcomes). Her research has contributed to knowledge about the processes underlying behavioural change and has influenced national and international strategies to reduce reoffending. Melissa has recently been awarded an ARC DECRA to develop an evidence-based model for correctional supervision. Melissa is an affiliate member of the Centre for Social Impact; ANZSOC SA Representative; and chief investigator in the new Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Prisoner Reintegration.

Dr Sahana Sarkar is a Lecturer in Criminology at Flinders University. She completed her Doctorate in Criminology from Queensland University of Technology in 2023. Her doctoral thesis was on exploring women survivors’ experiences of, responses to, and impact of technology-facilitated sexual violence in India. Her research focuses on how technology facilitates gendered and sexual violence by unknown persons and intimate partners within the Global South. Sahana’s research also explores digital literacy to understand how individuals employ safety practices and how marginalised identities influence it. Dr Sahana Sarkar is also a member of the Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies.

Dr Rachel Loney‑Howes is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Wollongong. Her research examines sexual and gender‑based violence, digital activism, survivor‑centred justice, and decarceral approaches. She leads and collaborates on mixed academic–sector projects that inform policy and practice, including recent projects with the Commonwealth Attorney‑General’s Department, conducting a scoping study on alternative reporting mechanisms for sexual assault (2023–24), and a Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety study on online reporting pathways (2022–24). A sector‑engaged scholar‑teacher, Rachel has served as Vice‑President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology since 2022 and co‑convenes UOW’s Feminist Research Network.

Dr Tamasailau Suaalii is an Associate Professor in the Criminology Programme at the School of Social Sciences, University of Auckland. She is also an ANZSOC New Zealand Committee Member. A Samoan academic researcher who worked previously with the Vaaomanu Pasifika Unit teaching in its Pacific Studies and Samoan Studies Programmes, her teaching and research focuses on issues of "Pacific jurisprudence" (particularly the relationship between law and custom/custom law), Pacific epistemology and Pacific research methods/methodologies. She has also engaged in Pacific health research and evaluation work and has continuing interests in Pacific health research and evaluation methodologies. She is committed to strengthening the Pacific academic and research workforce capacity and promoting indigenous research and evaluation knowledge: including in areas of crime and justice.

Dr Russell Brewer is a Professor of Criminology at Adelaide University and Director of the Australian Cybercrime Observatory. His research spans the technological and human dimensions of cybercrime: examining the risk factors that drive (cyber) criminal behaviour, as well as developing new AI-driven technologies that can identify perpetrators of crime and detect emerging trends across large scale online environments. His program of work is supported by nationally competitive grants and sustained through deep partnerships with law enforcement, defence, and leading industry stakeholders. This research has been published in leading books, academic and trade journals.