Research Assistant

Griffith University 

Jan 2010 – Jun 2010

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Undergraduate Research Intern – Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security Griffith University

Undertook supervised research with Professor Mark Kebbell, coding police interview transcripts with serious sexual offenders to examine linguistic and behavioural markers linked to re‑offending risk. Contributed to evidence‑based approaches in offender profiling, investigative interviewing, and risk assessment.

Research Assistant

University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC)

Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia

February 2018 – July 2019

School of Law and Business

Supported senior academics and research teams across multiple projects, contributing to literature reviews, data collection, analysis, and research administration. Worked collaboratively with researchers and PhD candidates to advance project outcomes and uphold high academic and ethical standards.

Core Research Responsibilities: Conducted literature reviews, data collection, and data analysis to support ongoing research projects. Managed and maintained large datasets, ensuring accuracy, quality, and consistency. Assisted with experiment design and provided research support to academics and postgraduate students. Contributed to grant writing, proposal development, and submission processes. Supported research integrity and ethics compliance by adhering to institutional guidelines and best practices. Maintained effective communication with researchers, students, and stakeholders to ensure smooth project progression.

Additional Responsibilities: Maintained regular communication with supervisors and team members regarding project progress, issues, and outcomes. Demonstrated strong time management and organisational skills while managing multiple tasks, priorities, and deadlines. Developed knowledge of academic policies, procedures, and research best practices. Contributed to a positive team environment, demonstrating leadership, collaboration, and adaptability as required.

Key Skills Developed: Teaching and mentoring; research and academic writing; critical thinking and problem‑solving; time management and organisation; communication and interpersonal skills; leadership and teamwork; adaptability and flexibility.

Current Research

Misogyny by Design: Global Platforms, Local Harms, and the Manosphere’s Impact on Gendered Violence and Hate Speech Laws in Australia

Feb 2026 – Present

Associated with Adelaide University

This extensive article analyses how transnational manosphere ecosystems and platform design features contribute to systemic gendered digital harm in Australia, arguing for a shift from content-centric regulation, to governing platform-mediated risks, such as algorithmic amplification and monetisation, and proposes an integrated reform agenda, including harmonised gendered vilification laws, enforceable platform duties, inclusion of tech-facilitated coercive control in domestic violence frameworks, procedural justice reforms, and critical digital masculinity literacy in schools, to address ambient misogynistic hostility, as well as to improve institutional responses to gendered violence.

PhD Thesis: Legal and Procedural Outcomes in Sexual Harassment and Assault Cases: A Comparative Analysis of Norway, South Australia, and Queensland

Feb 2026 – Present

PhD in Law – Adelaide University Law School

Project Supervisors: Associate Professor Anne Hewitt and Dr. David Plater

My PhD examines how legal frameworks and procedures shape reporting behaviour, case progression, and the effectiveness of outcomes in sexual harassment and assault cases across Norway, South Australia, and Queensland. It identifies key legislative and procedural barriers and introduces an original trauma‑informed analytical framework that outlines clear, evidence‑based criteria for what “trauma‑informed” means in law and policy. By comparing Norway’s established approaches with emerging practices in Australia, the project highlights targeted reforms to strengthen procedural fairness, improve reporting confidence, and support evidence‑based policy development.

Published Papers

Christensen, L.S. and Nilsen, N.E., 2021. Deconstructing quality at multi-campus universities: what moderates staff and student satisfaction?. Quality Assurance in Education, 29(2-3), pp.198-208. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-03-2021-0034

Nilsen, N., 2018. Anti-immigrant rhetoric, shifting ideologies and the criminalisation of the "other": An analysis of migrant crime and threat discourse in the Norwegian print media from 2000 to 2014.