Scientia Professor Richard Bryant, a world-leading authority on post-traumatic stress, has received the 2008 Australian Psychological Society Award for Distinguished Contribution to Science. The prestigious award recognises a scientist whose innovative research has been highly influential in their respective field.

This award has only been handed out five times in the past decade, with three of the recipients – Scientia Professors Bryant, George Paxinos (POWMRI) and Joe Forgas – hailing from UNSW’s School of Psychology.

Professor Bryant became interested in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 1989, while working at Westmead Hospital’s Department of Psychology. He joined the School in 1995 as a lecturer, becoming a professor in 2003. He currently leads a major research program into the mental aftermath of trauma, which this month received $7.1 million from the NHMRC. It focuses on building the nation’s capacity to reduce psychological problems following trauma such as Victoria’s devastating bushfires.