APrf Melissa Humphries
Senior Lecturer
School of Mathematical Sciences
College of Science
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Melissa Humphries is a decision scientist who cares a lot about one question: how do we help people make great decisions when the data is messy and the stakes are high? As Deputy Director of the Adelaide Data Science Centre and Research Lead for the School of Mathematical Sciences, she spends her days rallying brilliant, multidisciplinary teams and connecting them with industry, government, and intelligence partners so great research doesn't just sit on a workbench, but actually goes to work in the real world.
Her curiosity has taken her everywhere from forensic science to health, psychology, and defence, but the mission never changes: make decisions more efficient, more accurate, and explainable. Melissa works at the intersection of statistics and AI, pulling clear insight out of tangled, complex systems by blending trusted statistical models with cutting-edge techniques. She's also a firm believer that the people who'll actually use the research should be in the room from day one, not just handed the results at the end.
Melissa's influence stretches well beyond her own team. She co-chairs the Policy Committee for Science & Technology Australia, helping shape the national conversation on science and research. She's a proud previous Superstar of STEM and a relentless advocate for equity, because the best ideas should get a fair shot no matter where they come from.
At heart, Melissa is a builder of teams, partnerships, and the bridges that get great mathematics out of the university and into the hands of the people who need it most.
My research sits at the interface of statistics, mathematical modelling, decision science, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on building trustworthy, explainable tools for high-stakes decision-making.
I design and apply analytical methods that draw clear, actionable insight out of complex systems, combining the explainable strengths of statistical and physical models with novel computational techniques rather than relying on opaque "black box" approaches. A particular focus of my current work is verification and validation: making sure the models and tools we build actually do what we claim they do, and that their performance can be tested, trusted, and defended under scrutiny. This work has been applied across forensic science, intelligence, health, and psychology, and translates readily to any domain where decisions need to be accurate, defensible, and understood by the people who rely on them.
A core principle underpinning my approach is early and genuine engagement with end-users, the practitioners, analysts, and decision-makers who will ultimately use these tools, because that's what separates research that gets published from research that gets adopted. I lead multidisciplinary teams that take this work from concept to implementation, partnering with organisations that need rigorous, real-world solutions rather than theoretical ones.
If you're an industry partner or researcher exploring a potential collaboration, my track record spans complex, high-consequence problem domains, and I bring both the technical depth and the team leadership to see a project through from question to deployed, validated solution.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 - ongoing | Deputy Director, Adelaide Data Science Centre | Adelaide University |
| 2026 - ongoing | Associate Professor | Adelaide University |
| 2023 - 2026 | Senior Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2020 - 2023 | Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2018 - 2020 | Associate Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2016 - 2018 | Lecturer | University of Tasmania |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Award | Executive Dean's Staff Award | The University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Teaching Award | Special Commendation - teaching response during COVID-19 | the University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Award | Outstanding Acheivement | ACMES - Australian Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers | Australia | 1000 |
| 2014 | Award | Winner of the 3 minute thesis competition - University of Tasmania | University of Tasmania | Australia | $3,000 |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 - 2017 | University of Tasmania | Australia | PhD |
| 2007 - 2010 | University of Tasmania | Australia | Bachelor of Science (hons) |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Xu You, G., Eng Lu Jue, D., Humphries, M., Syed Mohd Hamdan, S. N., Gohain, M., Abdul Kadir, M. R., . . . Ibrahim, N. (2026). Regression models to predict cranial vault thickness for subadults: A computed tomography study. Asian Journal of Surgery, 49(5), 2571-2577. |
| 2026 | Taylor, D., & Humphries, M. A. (2026). deepNoC: A deep learning system to assign the number of contributors to a short tandem repeat DNA profile.. Forensic Sci Int Genet, 83, 103434. |
| 2025 | Shorten, D. P., Humphries, M., Maclean, J., Yang, Y., & Roughan, M. (2025). Optimal proposal particle filters for detecting anomalies and manoeuvres from two line element data. Acta Astronautica, 228, 709-723. Scopus5 WoS5 |
| 2025 | Byard, R. W., & Humphries, M. (2025). The importance of outliers in forensic practice. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 109, 102810. |
| 2025 | Senarath, I. D., Weerasekara, I., Humphries, M., Chen, K. K., Farrell, S. F., & de Zoete, R. M. J. (2025). Physical exercise therapy for chronic non-specific neck pain: protocol for a meta-analysis of individual participant data.. Systematic reviews, 14(1), 43-1-43-9. |
| 2025 | Xiourouppa, A. H., Mikhin, D., Humphries, M., & Maclean, J. (2025). Theoretical Insights for Bearings-Only Tracking in Log-Polar Coordinates. IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, 61(4), 1-12. Scopus3 WoS2 |
| 2025 | Taylor, D. A., & Humphries, M. (2025). Simulating realistic short tandem repeat capillary electrophoretic signal using a generative adversarial network. Expert Systems with Applications, 280, 127536. Scopus4 WoS3 |
| 2025 | Hutchinson, M. R., Barratt, D., Johnston, C. H., Humphries, M. A., Semmler, C., Tettamanzi, G. C., . . . Rolan, P. (2025). Biomarkers to predict, prevent, and treat persistent pain: omics. Pain, 166(11S), S103-S105. Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC4 |
| 2024 | Stephenson, L., van den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., Scott, T., & Byard, R. W. (2024). Increased incidence of mixed drug toxicity deaths involving tapentadol - A forensic study. Medicine Science and the Law, 64(2), 113-120. Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3 |
| 2024 | Stephenson, L., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2024). Prescribed and Diverted Methadone Toxicity in South Australia: An Update. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 45(2), 124-129. Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC1 |
| 2024 | Stephenson, L., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2024). Recent trends in an uncommon method of carbon monoxide suicide.. Forensic Sci Med Pathol, 20(3), 863-871. Scopus4 WoS2 Europe PMC2 |
| 2023 | Stockham, P., Partridge, E., Alfred, S., Boyle, L., Camilleri, A., Green, H., . . . Mallon, J. (2023). Characteristics of analytically confirmed gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) positive patients in the emergency department: presentation, poly-drug use, disposition and impact on intensive care resource utilisation.. Clin Toxicol (Phila), 61(4), 241-247. Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC5 |
| 2023 | Rahmat, R. A., Humphries, M. A., Saedon, N. A., Self, P. G., & Linacre, A. M. T. (2023). Diagnostic models to predict nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA recovery from incinerated teeth.. Int J Legal Med, 137(5), 1353-1360. Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1 |
| 2023 | Ryan, M., Glonek, G., Tuke, J., & Humphries, M. (2023). Capturing functional connectomics using Riemannian partial least squares.. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 15 pages. Scopus2 WoS3 Europe PMC1 |
| 2023 | Stephenson, L., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., Nash, C., & Byard, R. W. (2023). Features of fatal pesticide ingestion in South Australia.. Med Sci Law, 64(4), 258024231197914. Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC1 |
| 2023 | Stephenson, L., van den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2023). Barbecue charcoal burning: an alternative means of carbon monoxide suicide. Pathology, 55, S90. |
| 2022 | O'Donovan, S., Lewis, D., Van Den Heuvel, C., Baldock, M., Humphries, M. A., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Methamphetamine and alcohol detection in vehicle-driver fatalities in South Australia: A 10-year survey (2008-2018).. J Forensic Sci, 67(1), 257-264. Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC4 |
| 2022 | Johnson, S., Maclean, J., Vozzo, R. F., Koerber, A., & Humphries, M. A. (2022). Don't throw the student out with the bathwater: online assessment strategies your class won't hate. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 53(3), 1-12. Scopus3 WoS2 |
| 2022 | Ryan, M., Glonek, G., Humphries, M., & Tuke, J. (2022). Multivariate distance matrix regression for a manifold-valued response variable. |
| 2022 | Stephenson, L., Wills, S., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Increasing use of sodium nitrite in suicides-an emerging trend.. Forensic Sci Med Pathol, 18(3), 311-318. Scopus39 WoS36 Europe PMC27 |
| 2022 | O'Donovan, S., Humphries, M., Van Den Heuvel, C., Baldock, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Cardiac disease and driver fatality.. Forensic Sci Med Pathol, 18(3), 329-332. Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC2 |
| 2022 | Stephenson, L., van den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Characteristic features of self-immolation in a western population. Pathology, 54(sup 1), S70. |
| 2022 | O'Donovan, S., Van Den Heuvel, C., Baldock, M., Humphries, M. A., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Fatal blunt chest trauma: an evaluation of rib fracture patterns and age.. International journal of legal medicine, 136(5), 1351-1357. Scopus12 WoS10 Europe PMC9 |
| 2022 | Lountain, O., Tuke, J., Brown, H., Redman, K., Wilczek, S., & Humphries, M. A. (2022). A multivariate extension to the standard 4σ criterion for comparison of forensic glass evidence.. Forensic Sci Int, 338, 1-7. Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC1 |
| 2022 | Stephenson, L., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Characteristics of fatal insulin overdoses. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, 18(4), 429-441. Scopus19 WoS15 Europe PMC14 |
| 2022 | Stephenson, L., Grabowski, M., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Success of Low Aromatic Fuel in Preventing Gasoline Sniffing Deaths.. The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology, 43(4), 354-358. Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2 |
| 2022 | O’Donovan, S., Van Den Heuvel, C., Baldock, M., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Seasonal variation in cutaneous seat belt markings in fatal vehicle crashes. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 56(1), 1-4. |
| 2022 | O'Donovan, S., van den Heuvel, C., Baldock, M., Humphries, M. A., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Seat belt injuries and external markings at autopsy in cases of lethal vehicle crashes.. Med Sci Law, 63(3), 258024221127845. Scopus3 WoS2 |
| 2022 | Celma, A., Bade, R., Sancho, J. V., Hernandez, F., Humphries, M., & Bijlsma, L. (2022). Prediction of Retention Time and Collision Cross Section (CCSH+, CCSH-, and CCSNa+) of Emerging Contaminants Using Multiple Adaptive Regression Splines.. J Chem Inf Model, 62(22), 5425-5434. Scopus28 WoS27 Europe PMC19 |
| 2022 | Stephenson, L., van den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Fatal insulin overdoses among diabetics and non-diabetics in South Australia. Pathology, 54, S70. |
| 2021 | Rahmat, R. A., Humphries, M. A., Austin, J. J., Linacre, A. M. T., & Self, P. (2021). The development of a tool to predict temperature-exposure of incinerated teeth using colourimetric and hydroxyapatite crystal size data. International Journal of Legal Medicine, 135(5), 2045-2053. Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1 |
| 2021 | Stephenson, L., Kenneally, M., van den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., Stockham, P., & Byard, R. W. (2021). Recent trends in barbiturate detection in medicolegal deaths. Legal Medicine, 53, 1-5. Scopus6 WoS7 Europe PMC4 |
| 2021 | Rahmat, R. A., Humphries, M. A., Linacre, A. M. T., Malik, A., Saedon, N. A., & Austin, J. J. (2021). Freeze-drying improves DNA yield from teeth. Forensic Science International, 326, 110938. Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC2 |
| 2021 | Bade, R., Tscharke, B. J., O’Brien, J. W., Magsarjav, S., Humphries, M., Ghetia, M., . . . Gerber, C. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 Controls on the Use of Illicit Drugs and Alcohol in Australia. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 8(9), 799-804. Scopus36 WoS32 Europe PMC31 |
| 2020 | Rahmat, R. A. -A. R., Humphries, M., Austin, J. J., Linacre, A., Raven, M., & Self, P. (2020). Integrating spectrophotometric and XRD analyses in the investigation of burned dental remains. Forensic Science International, 310, 110236-1-110236-9. Scopus12 WoS10 Europe PMC4 |
| 2019 | McArthur, L., & Humphries, M. A. (2019). Multi-model mimicry for model selection according to generalised goodness-of-fit criteria. |
| 2016 | Lai, F., O'Brien, J., Thai, P., Hall, W., Chan, G., Bruno, R., . . . Mueller, J. (2016). Cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine residues in wastewater: Consumption trends (2009-2015) in South East Queensland, Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 568, 803-809. Scopus74 WoS67 Europe PMC50 |
| 2016 | Humphries, M., Bruno, R., Lai, F., Thai, P., Holland, B., O'Brien, J., . . . Mueller, J. (2016). Evaluation of monitoring schemes for wastewater-based epidemiology to identify drug use trends using cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA and methadone. Environmental Science and Technology, 50(9), 4760-4768. Scopus26 WoS23 Europe PMC14 |
| 2016 | Manning, E., Holland, B., Ellingsen, S., Breen, S., Chen, X., & Humphries, M. (2016). Comparison of three statistical classification techniques for maser identification. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 33, e015-1-e015-30. Scopus2 WoS2 |
| 2015 | Humphries, M., Bruno, R., Karpievitch, Y., & Wotherspoon, S. (2015). The expectancy valence model of the iowa gambling task: Can it produce reliable estimates for individuals?. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 64-65, 17-34. Scopus8 WoS8 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Johnson, S., Maclean, J., Vozzo, R. F., Koerber, A., & Humphries, M. A. (2023). Don't throw the student out with the bathwater: online assessment strategies your class won't hate. In Takeaways from Teaching through a Pandemic (pp. 69-80). Routledge. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Stephenson, L., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. (2022). A profile of pesticide self-poisonings in South Australia over 20 years. In TOXICOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS Vol. 6 (pp. 115-116). AUSTRALIA, Newcastle: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2022 | McCormick, K. (2022). Developing a Strong(er) Theory of Eyewitness Memory: The Selection, Verification, and Application of Mathematical Models of Identification Decisions. (PhD Thesis, University of Adelaide). |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Xiourouppa, A. H., Mikhin, D., Humphries, M., & Maclean, J. (2024). An insightful approach to bearings-only tracking in log-polar coordinates. |
| 2024 | Elborough, L., Taylor, D., & Humphries, M. (2024). A novel application of Shapley values for large multidimensional time-series data: Applying explainable AI to a DNA profile classification neural network.. DOI Europe PMC4 |
| 2024 | Shorten, D., Beckingham, T., Humphries, M., Fischer, R., Soar, N., Wilson, B., & Roughan, M. (2024). Fast, efficient and accurate prediction of postoperative outcomes using a small set of intraoperative time series. DOI |
| 2023 | Shorten, D. P., Maclean, J., Humphries, M., Yang, Y., & Roughan, M. (2023). Optimal Proposal Particle Filters for Detecting Anomalies and Manoeuvres from Two Line Element Data. |
| Year | Title | Team | Scheme | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-27 | What causes low back pain to flare: Has a major opportunity to understand back pain been missed? | Klyne D, Hodges P, Barbe M, van den Hoorn W, Suri P, Smith S, Nicholas M, Setchell J, Ferreira M, Hunter D, Toyras J, McAuley J, Smits E, Cordeiro de Costa N, Humphries M | NIH | USD2,314,282 |
| 2022-24 | KNOW - The combined CBRN alert and information systems through harnessing the power of Psychoneuroimmunology. | Hutchinson M, Semler, C, Barrett D, Barry S, Mustafa S, Humphries M | HISS | $2,999,098 |
| 2021-23 | Trusted AI Frameworks for Change and Anomaly Detection in Observed ISR Patterns. | Roughan M, Chin T, Humphries M, Mitchell L, Tuke S, Nguyen G, Whitington B | SMARTSAT CRC | $440,777 |
| 2021-23 | Improving accuracy in forensic decision making with glass. COVID Recognition Fund Scheme. | Humphries M | Covid recognition fund - Faculty Award | $15,000 |
| 2021 | A Data Science package to modernise thermal load management in South Australia. | Humphries M, Maclean J. | The University of Adelaide | $10,000 |
| 2019-23 | Scholarship Funding in D2D CRC Centre Field. | Humphries M | Data to Decisions CRC Project | $70,516 |
| 2019-23 | Recommender systems for forensic evidence triage. | Humphries M, Roughan M, Taylor | SAPOL | $27,000 |
| 2019-22 | Elemental glass database and statistical modelling with likelihood ratios in forensic investigations. | Humphries M, Tuke J, Metcalfe A, Brown H, Redman K | ANZPAA NIFS | $18,000 |
| 2019-21 | Investigating deep learning for handwriting examination writership opinions. | Humphries M, Bird C | ANZPAA NIFS | $8,000 |
| 2021 | Emergency Medical Retrieval - Improving decision making with Mathematics. | Humphries M, Boyle L | ACEMS | $6,829 |
Courses Summary
| Date | Taught | Developed | Coordinated | Course Title | Institution | Course Level/ Code | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | x | x | x | Data Literacy | University of Adelaide | MATHS 1005 | Link |
| 2020-2021 | x | x | x | Statistical Analysis and Modelling | University of Adelaide | STATS 1005 | Link |
| 2020 | x | Research Methods and Statistics | University of Adelaide | MATHS 7025 | Link | ||
| 2020 | x | x | MathTrackX | University of Adelaide | Pre-Tertiary MOOC series | Link | |
| 2019 | x | x | Time Series III | University of Adelaide | STATS 3005, 7058 | Link | |
| 2018-2019 | x | x | Mathematical Background for Biostatistics | University of Adelaide | BIOSTATS 6001EX | Link | |
| 2018-2020 | x | x | x | Statistical Practice 1 | University of Adelaide | STATS 1000, 1004, 1504 | Link |
| 2016-2017 | x | x | x | Big Decisions! Rational belief and action in an uncertain world | University of Tasmania | XBR111 | Link |
| 2011-2017 | x | x | x | Statistical Analysis Using R | University of Tasmania | KMA711 | Link |
| 2015-2017 | x | x | x | Data Handling and Statistics 2 | University of Tasmania | KMA253 | Link |
| 2014-2016 | x | x | x | First year Medicine (Statistics Component) | University of Tasmania | CAM102 |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Principal Supervisor | Robust Explainable Models of Exposure Responses in Complex Biological Systems | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Samantha Josephine Beard |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Scalable algorithms for non-linear target tracking | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Athena Helena Xiourouppa |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Scalable algorithms for non-linear target tracking | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Athena Helena Xiourouppa |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Communicating Uncertainty in Forensic Science | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Nicola Brooks |
| 2024 | Principal Supervisor | Monitoring chronic pain using smart devices | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Miss Joan Lim |
| 2022 | Co-Supervisor | Identifying and preventing the coordinated spread of misinformation | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Scott James Carnie-Bronca |
| 2020 | Principal Supervisor | Large-scale social media sentiment analysis as a predictor of public behaviour in Australia. | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Miss Saranzaya Magsarjav |
| 2020 | Principal Supervisor | Large-scale social media sentiment analysis as a predictor of public behaviour in Australia. | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Miss Saranzaya Magsarjav |
| 2020 | Principal Supervisor | Building a recommender system to increase successful outcomes in crime scene analysis. | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Ms Louise Margaret Campbell |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 - 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Small sample Rasch: simulation, estimation and evaluation of error | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Miss Christina Anne Tait |
| 2021 - 2022 | Co-Supervisor | Developing a Strong(er) Theory of Eyewitness Memory: The Selection, Verification, and Application of Mathematical Models of Identification Decisions | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Mrs Kym Michelle McCormick |
| 2021 - 2023 | Principal Supervisor | Emergency Departments: Predicting the Unpredictable | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Mr Michael John Ucci |
| 2020 - 2024 | Co-Supervisor | A retrospective analysis of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical substance-related coronial deaths in South Australia over 20 years | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Lilli Grace Stephenson |
| 2019 - 2023 | Principal Supervisor | Riemannian statistical techniques with applications in fMRI | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Matthew James Ryan |
| 2019 - 2021 | Principal Supervisor | Statistical Methods for Comparison of Forensic Glass Samples in Australia | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Mr Oliver James Lountain |
| 2018 - 2019 | Co-Supervisor | Explanatory statistical modelling of influences of demographic experience on political identity | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Mr Lachlann Bradley McArthur |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 - ongoing | Member | Policy Committee | Science and Technology Australia | Australia |
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