School staff

Dr Nathan Ryan

Dr. Nathan Ryan serves as a research fellow at the Australian Catholic University, located in Melbourne. His primary area of research expertise revolves around enhancing the investigation process in cases of missing body homicides, with a specific emphasis on employing investigative interviewing techniques to facilitate the retrieval of spatial memory details from suspects and examine patterns of concealment behaviour.

In addition to his work in this field, Dr. Ryan has conducted research into the perceptions of rape trial testimony and the profound influence of the prison visitation process on its visitors. His knowledge extends to the psychology of criminal behaviour, policing theory, and research methodology. Notably, he has played a role in delivering training programs for the Queensland Police Service, specifically focusing on witness suggestibility and the psychology of offenders as part of their detective training curriculum.

Dr. Ryan is a member of both the International Investigative Research Group (iIIRG) and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology (ANZSOC), where he actively contributes to the advancement of criminological knowledge and practices.

Dr. Ryan is currently a recipient of the National Intelligence Postdoctoral Research Grant (NIPG). Through this grant, he is presently engaged in research investigating the influence of emotional states on spatial decision-making processes concerning homicide body disposals and clandestine burials. His work promises to shed new light on this critical aspect of criminal investigations.