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Dr Paula Mitchell is a registered psychologist with over 20 years experience in research, clinical practice and corporate consultancy, specialising in sleep, fatigue and shiftwork. Paula's consultancy work has included the development and delivery of driver fatigue risk management programs and shiftwork risk management programs; risk assessments and development of policies and procedures to improve shift operations and maximise shiftwork adjustment; and the development and delivery of training programs and educational materials on fatigue and shiftwork risk management. Previous clients include BP Australia, Esso Australia, Metro Trains Melbourne, Origin Energy, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, QR National, Telstra, TransGrid and the Victorian Department of Justice.
Paula graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and a Ph.D. from Monash University. Her Ph.D. examined caffeine and individual differences in the human body clock and she was then offered a post-doctoral research fellowship in Chicago, investigating the use of bright light therapy to help adjustment to shiftwork. Her post-doctoral work led to her winning an Australasian Sleep Association Travel Grant, an American Sleep Disorders Association/Sleep Research Society Trainee Fellowship and she was a finalist in the American Sleep Disorders Association Young Investigator Award. Paula continues to conduct leading research into the impact of sleep disorders and the effects of fatigue.
In addition to her consultancy and research experience, Paula has lectured extensively on sleep, fatigue and the body clock to undergraduate, postgraduate and Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety students. She has presented many papers at both national and international conferences, has been an invited speaker at numerous industry conferences and professional meetings and has given many media interviews on sleep-related issues. A particular interest of Paula's has been community road safety, having served on the Executive Committee of RoadSafe Central Highlands. Among the major projects Paula was responsible for in this role was the development of a community driver fatigue awareness program, the implementation of the 'Fit To Drive' program in local secondary schools, and the mobile phone awareness campaign which won the prestigious Victorian 2005 Frank Green Road Safety Award.
