MUARC announces new senior leadership appointments
The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) is pleased to announce key appointments to its senior leadership team: Associate Professor Sjaan Koppel as Deputy Director Research (DDR), Associate Professor Carlyn Muir as Deputy Director Education (DDE), and Dr Amanda Stephens as Graduate Research Coordinator (GRC). The positions will provide support to the Director and lead their portfolio areas.
As MUARC continues to expand its research and education footprint within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (MNHS), this updated leadership structure distributes key strategic portfolios to drive interdisciplinary innovation, translate cutting-edge research into real-world impact, and support the next generation of safety researchers and practitioners.
Deputy Director Research (DDR) – Associate Professor Sjaan Koppel
Associate Professor Sjaan Koppel brings over two decades of dedicated service to MUARC, currently leading the Behavioural Science research team, managing the Baseline Research Program, and serving as Academic Lead for the National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP). An internationally recognised leader in road safety, Associate Professor Koppel is ranked by Expertscape among the top 0.015% of traffic accident experts worldwide and was named the world's leading author on vulnerable road users and driver clinical/mental conditions in a 50-year literature synthesis.
Her research portfolio includes over 6,200 citations (h-index of 42), more than 100 peer-reviewed articles published since 2020, and over $9.6 million secured across 42 projects in the past five years. Her work has directly shaped national policies and standards, including the Assessing Fitness to Drive standards, child occupant protection guidelines, and older-driver safety initiatives.
Beyond MUARC, she serves as President of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM) and Chair of the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) Women in Road Safety Network.
As Deputy Director Research, Associate Professor Koppel aims to harness MUARC’s collective strengths to extend the real-world impact of its research, diversify Category 1 and Category 2 funding, and deepen interdisciplinary collaboration across Monash University. Central to her vision is an inclusive, supportive approach that mentors researchers at all career stages and expands international partnerships.
Deputy Director Education (DDE) – Associate Professor Carlyn Muir
Associate Professor Carlyn Muir serves as MUARC’s inaugural Associate Director of Education and leads the System Safety and Performance research team. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), she is a recognised leader in pedagogical excellence and safety science education. Over the past five years, Associate Professor Muir has secured approximately $2 million in education-focused funding while leading the design and delivery of seven postgraduate units and 15 professional development courses.
Her applied research and teaching focus on translating complex safety research into workforce-ready capabilities across injury prevention, road safety, and workplace safety - including industry-licensed programs such as the Reducing Aggressive Driving (RAD) program and specialized human factors training for the mining sector.
In her role as DDE, Associate Professor Muir will build educational excellence as a core pillar of the Centre. Her strategic priorities include expanding executive and professional development education, scaling industry e-learning offerings, and developing new award pathways, micro-credentials, and postgraduate units. A central element of this strategy is the MUARC Academy - a virtual platform designed to connect staff, students, alumni, and industry partners to drive continuous research translation and professional learning.
Graduate Research Coordinator (GRC) – Dr Amanda Stephens
Dr Amanda Stephens is a Senior Research Fellow and behavioural scientist whose research centers on driver psychology, human factors, and road user safety. Expertscape ranks Dr Stephens as the top researcher globally for aggressive driving research. With 151 research outputs, over 4,200 citations (h-index of 39), and more than $3 million in project funding secured over the last five years, Dr Stephens brings significant research leadership to the role.
She currently serves as MUARC’s Honours Coordinator (a role she has held since 2024), sits on the MUARC Graduate Research Committee, coordinates statistical advising for graduate candidates, and serves as an editor for Scientific Reports. Accredited as a Monash main supervisor, she has guided numerous student researchers into higher degree candidatures and research careers.
As Graduate Research Coordinator, Dr Stephens will provide approachable, structured leadership that strengthens candidate support from admission through to graduation. Drawing on her own experience as an international PhD student, she is committed to fostering an inclusive, connected environment for candidates and supervisors alike. Her priorities include building clear pathways from undergraduate and Honours programs into PhD candidatures, enhancing candidate development through seminar series, and facilitating multi-faculty research networks.
Looking Ahead
These appointments mark an exciting chapter for MUARC as the Centre strengthens its research, education, and graduate pathways within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
MUARC also extends its deepest gratitude to Professor Jennie Oxley for her outstanding leadership over the past three years as Deputy Director and over a decade as Associate Director (Graduate Research). Professor Oxley will continue to lead MUARC's Human Factors and Sustainable Safety research team, continuing her vital contribution to research and mentorship across the Centre.