University Fellows
Associate Professor Tamara Blakemore
Dr Tamara Blakemore is a social work practitioner, researcher, and educator recognised as a leader in the field of trauma and trauma informed practice. Her work has shaped policy and practice in response to victims and perpetrators of violence, abuse, and trauma in regional, state, and federal contexts. Tamara heads the Name.Narrate.Navigate (NNN) program which delivers direct service, professional training, resource design and research for youth violence. This innovative program has attracted more than $2m funding from state, federal and corporate sponsors. The program is endorsed and supported by First Nations Elders and community groups and key industry collaborators across sectors of justice, education, health, child protection, youth, and community services. Tamara remains actively involved in clinical practice in acute trauma settings and in volunteer roles with local community agencies supporting vulnerable citizens.
Professor Avi Brisman
Avi Brisman is a Professor in the School of Justice Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, an Honorary Professor at Newcastle Law School at the University of Newcastle (Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia), and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Justice at Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia); he is also Associate Editor of Crime Media Culture, Book Review Editor of the International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, and Immediate Past Editor-in-Chief of Critical Criminology: An International Journal. His most recent book is Fieldnotes on a Study of Young People's Perceptions of Crime and Justice: Scaffolding as Structure (Routledge, 2022).
Mrs Loren Collyer
Loren Collyer is a proud Bandjin woman and academic with the Indigenous Education and Research
Academic Division. Loren is the Indigenous Executive Support Officer for the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Leadership at the University of Newcastle.
Mr Damien Linnane
Damien Linnane is a published novelist, internationally exhibited artist, and editor of the prison art and writing magazine Paper Chained. He is completing a PhD through Newcastle Law School, focusing on improving the rights of people with disabilities when impacted by the criminal justice system. His research is inspired by his lived experience of being a prisoner in New South Wales.
Dr Caitlin Mollica
Dr Caitlin Mollica is a Lecturer in Politics at the Newcastle Business School. Caitlin's research is interested in youth agency and participation, transitional justice, gender, access to justice and human rights. Her work applies a human rights approach to post-conflict policy to reveal the factors that enable and the barriers that constrain inclusive governance.
Dr Faye Nitschke
Dr Faye Nitschke is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Psychological Sciences. She is interested in investigating ways to improve interpersonal and structural responses to anti-social behaviour, particularly gendered violence, using psychology and law. Her recent research has focused on investigating criminal justice system responses to complainants of sexual violence and community responses to perpetrators of sexual harassment
Honorary Associate Professor Nicola Ross
Nicola Ross is an Honorary Associate Professor at the School of Law and Justice. She is interested in how children, parents and families are included in decisions made about their lives, in child protection, family and criminal processes - and the implications for their wellbeing.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.