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    • Dr Stephen Bright
      https://wwwqa.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/image/0008/742580/stephen-bright.jpg
    • Dr Stephen Bright

      Dr Stephen Bright

Dr Stephen Bright

Dr Bright oversees the development and delivery of curriculum pertaining to the use of Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) in the context of society.

Background

Stephen has worked as a psychologist within the Mental Health & AOD field for the past 15 years. He is currently Senior Lecturer of Addiction at Edith Cowan University. Stephen is a strong advocate of harm reduction and an evidence-based approach to AOD legislation. He is also interested in the role of certain substances (entheogens) to facilitate spiritual experiences, and their role in psychotherapy.

His PhD related to the public perceptions and media portrayal of AOD use and the implications of this for drug-related harm, including the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances. This has led to the development of a project that aims to make the Australian media more accountable when reporting on AOD issues: www.aodmediawatch.com.au

Stephen is a leading Australian voice on the role of drug policy on emerging drug trends such as synthetic cannabis and darkweb marketplaces.

Professional Associations

  • Founding member and vice-president of PRISM, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to fund positive AOD research.
  • Elected member of the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) board since 2015
  • Member of the AOD Media Watch Reference Group
  • Peninsula Health's Human Research Ethics Committee since 2012

Awards and Recognition

  • 2012: Awarded a Gold Medal in the Victorian Public Health Awards
  • 2011: Awarded best late breaking paper at the APSAD conference

Research Areas and Interests

  • Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) policy.
  • AOD and the media
  • Emerging drug trends.
  • Psychedelics.
  • Synthetic cannabis.
  • MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.
  • Harm reduction.
  • Role of stigma among people who use drugs
  • Older adults and alcohol.
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