2018 James McKeen Cattell Fellow

Richard A. Bryant

University of New South Wales, Australia

Richard A. Bryant is Scientia Professor of Psychology at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Bryant has a distinctive and long-standing record of integrating translational psychological science into real-world settings. His innovative basic-science research on the mechanisms of posttraumatic reactions, including behavioral, cognitive, genetic, and neuroimaging studies, has mapped the path of psychopathological responses following trauma. His longitudinal studies have shown the complexity of psychological and biological reactions to trauma and have challenged the notion of pervasive vulnerability.

Bryant’s assessment and intervention protocols have been translated into many languages and are used by governmental, nongovernmental, and private organizations across the world in the aftermath of natural disasters, wars, and terrorist activities, as well as in the aftermath of individual events such as personal loss, debilitating physical injury, and unexpected major life changes. He has adhered rigorously to the highest scientific, professional, and ethical standards; has been responsible for many original ideas and interventions in the field of trauma; and has effectively translated research into policy and practice around the world.

Bryant is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. He has been an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow and is an (Australian) National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Principal Research Fellow. In addition to the many honors and awards he has received nationally and internationally, Bryant is a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), the highest honor that country can bestow, in recognition of his research and clinical work, its impact on thousands of people around the world, and his advice to multiple governments and organizations.