
Dr Melissa Humphries
Senior Lecturer
School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
My background research activities are mainly in the fields of Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Psychology and I have recently completed my PhD in the area of Mathematical Psychology. It looked at two broad areas:
1. Effective wastewater sampling techniques for measuring illicit drug consumption extent.
2. Application of cognitive models in a clinical context.
I have published first author papers in both of these fields with both cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional teams. I am also interested in statistical applications across all fields and am currently researching in the forensic science space.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2023 - ongoing Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide 2020 - 2023 Lecturer University of Adelaide 2018 - 2020 Associate Lecturer University of Adelaide 2016 - 2018 Lecturer University of Tasmania -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 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 -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2012 - 2017 University of Tasmania Australia PhD 2007 - 2010 University of Tasmania Australia Bachelor of Science (hons) -
Research Interests
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Journals
Year Citation 2023 O’Donovan, S., van den Heuvel, C., Baldock, M., Humphries, M. A., & Byard, R. W. (2023). Seat belt injuries and external markings at autopsy in cases of lethal vehicle crashes. Medicine, Science and the Law, 63(3), 195-202.
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. Clinical Toxicology, 61(4), 241-247.
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. International Journal of Legal Medicine, 137(5), 1353-1360.
2023 Stephenson, L., van den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., Scott, T., & Byard, R. W. (2023). Increased incidence of mixed drug toxicity deaths involving tapentadol – A forensic study. Medicine, Science and the Law, 8 pages.
2023 Stephenson, L., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., Nash, C., & Byard, R. W. (2023). Features of fatal pesticide ingestion in South Australia. Medicine, Science and the Law, 24 pages.
2022 Celma, A., Bade, R., Sancho, J. V., Hernandez, F., Humphries, M., & Bijlsma, L. (2022). Prediction of Retention Time and Collision Cross Section (CCS<inf>H+</inf>, CCS<inf>H-</inf>, and CCS<inf>Na+</inf>) of Emerging Contaminants Using Multiple Adaptive Regression Splines. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 62(22), 5425-5434.
Scopus6 WoS4 Europe PMC12022 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.
Scopus3 WoS12022 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.
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.
Scopus5 WoS7 Europe PMC22022 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.
Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC12022 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.
Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC12022 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.
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.
Scopus2 WoS3 Europe PMC22022 Stephenson, L., Grabowski, M., Van Den Heuvel, C., Humphries, M., & Byard, R. W. (2022). Success of Low Aromatic Fuel in Preventing Gasoline Sniffing Deaths. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 43(4), 354-358.
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, 4 pages.
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.
Scopus1 Europe PMC12021 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.
Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC12021 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.
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.
Scopus17 WoS142020 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.
Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC12016 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.
Scopus64 WoS60 Europe PMC152016 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.
Scopus18 WoS17 Europe PMC42016 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 WoS22015 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.
Scopus6 WoS6- McArthur, L., & Humphries, M. A. (n.d.). Multi-model mimicry for model selection according to generalised
goodness-of-fit criteria.- Ryan, M., Glonek, G., Humphries, M., & Tuke, J. (n.d.). Multivariate distance matrix regression for a manifold-valued response
variable.- Ryan, M., Glonek, G., Tuke, J., & Humphries, M. (n.d.). Capturing functional connectomics using Riemannian partial least squares. -
Theses
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 | Title | Team | Scheme | Amount |
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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 |
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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 |
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2023 Principal Supervisor Computing a Bayesian Model for Passive Tracking Scenarios in Log-Polar Coordinates Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Athena Helena Xiourouppa 2022 Co-Supervisor Identifying and preventing the coordinated spread of misinformation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Scott James Carnie-Bronca 2021 Principal Supervisor Creating a user friendly, data driven tool for the short-term prediction of emergency department performance. Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Michael John Ucci 2020 Co-Supervisor A retrospective analysis of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical substance-related coronial deaths in SA over 20 years Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Lilli Grace Stephenson 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 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 -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 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 2019 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Statistical Methods for Comparison of Forensic Glass Samples in Australia Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Oliver James Lountain 2019 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Riemannian statistical techniques with applications in fMRI Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Matthew James Ryan 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
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