Professor Jillian Dorrian discusses shiftwork, fatigue and performance with Sharon Todd (CPE). Jill is one of the keynote speakers at the HFESA Conference 19-22nd November 2023.   

Jill is Professor in Psychology, with a PhD in sleep and chronobiology research, and a Master of Biostatistics. 

From the beginning of my PhD, Jill conducted laboratory and field studies with a consistent focus on collaboration and translation. Her PhD and early post-doctoral work was supported by the Australian Shiftwork and Workload Consortium, a 10-year collaboration with Australian Rail Industry operators and safety regulators. This work informed fatigue risk management (the over-arching term to describe risks relating to sleep loss and performance impairment in industry) in rail.

Jill has continued to conduct in-workplace studies for rail, emergency services, and health. More recently, she has also worked with mining, construction, ports, and forestry, providing research and education to promote fatigue management.

Jill is heavily involved with research student supervision, and training in publishing and other forms of research communication. She was recognised by the Australian Graduate Research Council for excellence in graduate research supervision.

Much of her current work is focused on behavioural coping strategies for remaining healthy despite exposure to sleep loss. In particular, along with colleagues in psychology, nutrition, and activity, we study chronobehaviour – investigating the health impacts, not only of what we do, but when we do it.

This educational podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app.

If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. We will be back with more episodes soon!