Professor Ross Young is an active leader who has held a number of executive academic roles to champion the academic, community and health sectors. He has greatly contributed to health leadership development through mentoring and strategy creation in large health and research entities.
As Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) of the University of the Sunshine Coast, Professor Young oversees the research strategy of the University, including the support of researchers and Higher Degree by Research students. His portfolio also includes UniSC's University research centres and institutes, along with the Clinical Trials Centre and UniSC’s Innovation Centre.
Professor Young is committed to the effective integration of research, innovation and partnership to ensure that UniSC’s work is of the highest quality, has impact and improves the communities served by UniSC.
A clinical psychologist by background, Professor Young’s research interests are in the integration of psychological and biological risk factors in mental illness. He has a passion for advancing better mental health and reducing the associated stigma, as well as a commitment to social justice and maximising health outcomes for all people, particularly the most vulnerable in our communities.
Prior to joining UniSC in 2021, Professor Young held a number of executive academic roles in clinical and academic health and in medical research, including as the Chair of Trauma Rehabilitation at the Jamieson Trauma Institute, Metro North Health, Executive Dean, Faculty of Health and Executive Director of the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at QUT.
Professor Young has research interests in the psychological and biological factors contributing to substance misuse, and major psychiatric illness, such as schizophrenia. He has over 300 published book chapters and papers in genetic, medical, psychiatric and psychological journals and has supervised over 50 completed PhD students and Postdoctoral Fellows.
- Fellow of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Fellow of the Australasian Association of Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy
- Member of the Australian Psychological Society
Professor Young is a Clinical Psychologist with research interests in the integration of psychological and biological risk factors in mental illness. Over the last decade this has focussed on gene regulation and stress using epigenetics. His research includes work in substance misuse, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, mood disorders and more broadly in behavioural medicine. Professor Young has over 280 published book chapters and papers in genetic, medical, psychiatric and psychological journals and has supervised over 50 PhD students and Postdoctoral Fellows. His work includes complex research project management, including clinical trials and his career research funding is A$20M.
Research areas
- Mental health