Couple CLASH Team

 Gery Karantzas

Gery Karantzas is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology and Director of the Science of Adult Relationships (SoAR) Laboratory at Deakin University. Gery is the lead investigator of the Couple CLASH study.

Gery is one of Australia’s leading relationship scientists and has authored over 90 publications. He has been awarded over $5 million for his research from the Australian Research Council, the National Medical Health and Research Council and Beyond Blue. Gery writes for the Conversation and Psychology Today, and his articles have approximately 2 million reads. He is regularly contacted by the media to discuss all matters on relationships and is also the founder of relationshipscienceonline.com, a website that curates and delivers the science of relationships to target the needs of relationship counsellors and the general public.

 Peter Miller

Peter Miller is a Professor of Violence Prevention & Addiction studies and Director of the Centre for Drug, Alcohol and Addiction Research (CEDAAR) at Deakin University. He also leads the Policy, Evaluation & Monitoring stream of CEDAAR. Peter is a principal investigator on the Couple CLASH study.

Peter’s main area of work includes research on alcohol and drug-related violence, predictors of violence (including family and domestic violence), and Corporate Political Activity of alcohol and dangerous consumptions industries.

Jeffry Simpson

Jeffry Simpson is a Professor of Psychology and Chair of the Psychology Department at University of Minnesota in the USA. Jeffry is a principal investigator on the Couple CLASH study.

Jeffry is a highly distinguished, leading researcher in the field of relationship science. His research focuses on romantic relationships, especially the grounds on which people enter relationships and, once in them, how romantic partners resolve conflicts, provide support, and share positive experiences. Jeffry has received numerous awards for his work and has been funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Aging, the Marsden Foundation in New Zealand, and the Australian Research Council.

Christopher Eckhardt

Christopher Eckhardt is a Professor of Psychology and director of clinical training at Purdue University in the USA. Christopher is a principal investigator on the Couple CLASH study.

Christopher is a leading researcher in the field of relationship science. His research interests involve the investigation of cognitive, affective, and behavioural risk factors that relate to intimate partner violence etiology and intervention. Christopher has authored over 65 publications and has been funded by grants from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Mental Health, and various other research councils.

Laura Knox

Laura Knox is a Research Fellow and member of the Couple CLASH research team. Her research focuses on negative and destructive behaviours in romantic relationships, as well as the role people’s relationship histories and stress can play in exacerbating such behaviour. Her work has been presented at large national and international conferences. Additionally, Laura is a registered psychologist and member of the APS.

Nicholas Lawless

Nicholas Lawless is a PhD Candidate and member of the Couple CLASH research team. His research centres around pornography use and sexual arousal and how these impact sexual and relationship functioning within romantic relationships. He is also a registered psychologist and works in private practice with a special interest in couple's therapy. Nick was recently quoted by an article on pornography which featured in the Daily Telegraph.

Susan Chesterman

Susan Chesterman is a PhD Candidate in the School of Psychology at Deakin University and is a both a student member and Research Assistant within the SoAR lab. Her research focuses on how contextual and individual difference factors impact partner evaluations in romantic relationships. She has a particular interest in adult attachment and its role in relationship processes.

Daniel Romano

Dr Daniel Romano is a recent PhD graduate from Deakin University, and a member of the Science of Adult Relationships (SoAR) Laboratory. His doctoral research bridges the gap between social psychology and a health/ageing context by examining how interpersonal processes shape the helping behaviour of adult children caring for older parents with chronic health conditions. He has also conducted research focusing on romantic couples, particularly examining interpersonal dehumanisation.

Ellie Mullins