Professor Rodrigo Praino - Centre Director
Dr Rodrigo Praino is Professor of Politics and Public Policy and Director of the Jeff Bleich Centre.
He holds a PhD in Political Science and has received several prestigious fellowships, scholarships and awards, including a Fulbright Scholarship. In 2018 he became the first political scientist to win a Tall Poppy Science Award for excellence is scientific research and communication.
Professor Praino is an expert in decision-making and political behaviour, conducting research on elections, voting, and how voters make decisions in a context of low-information. His publications in this area cover a wide range of issues, including the effect of political scandals and corruption, the political behaviour of young voters, the political representation of women, and the role of candidate physical appearance.
Professor Praino is also one of few scholars in Australia engaged in research on space politics and space policy. He is particularly interested in understanding and analysing the importance of space assets for defence, economic development, international relations, and decision-making. He is a co-author of Power, State and Space: Conceptualizing, Measuring and Comparing Space Actors (Springer, 2023).
Professor Praino's research has been published by top peer-reviewed academic journals in the Social Sciences, and has attracted funding from various sources, including the Australian Research Council, SmartSat CRC, Defence, the Australian Space Agency, and UNICEF.
Professor Emma Thomas - Deputy Director
Professor Emma Thomas is a social psychologist at Flinders University, where she serves as a Professorial Research Fellow and Australian Research Council Future Fellow. She also leads the Flinders Social Influence and Social Change Lab.
Her research resides at the intersection of social and political psychology, concentrating on the psychological mechanisms that drive political engagement, collective action, and extremism. She explores how social identities, group norms, emotions (such as anger, outrage, and hope), and online interactions influence individuals' decisions to participate in both peaceful protests and radical movements. Professor Thomas has received substantial funding from the Australian Research Council, including a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) and Future Fellowship (2025-2030) and has collaborated with government and non-government organisations on studies related to online radicalization and misinformation. Professor Thomas has served as Associate Editor (2017-2019) at the British Journal of Social Psychology and Political Psychology (2025-2028). Her work has garnered attention from media outlets like The Washington Post and ABC Radio.
In recognition of her contributions, she was honoured with the South Australian Tall Poppy Science Award in 2018.
Her recent projects delve into the role of "angry hope" in motivating social change, examining how emotions like hope and anger interact to inspire collective action on issues such as climate change and inequality; and how movements based on conspiracy and misinformation are challenging democratic norms in Australia and beyond.
Board Members
Ambassador (ret) Jeff Bleich - Chairman
The Honourable Jeff Bleich served as the US Ambassador to Australia from 2009 to 2013, as Special Counsel to President Obama in the White House, and as a member of the National Security Education Board. A specialist in digital technology and complex dispute resolution, he has been a federally appointed Special Master, a Partner at both Munger, Tolles & Olson and Dentons, and the Chief Legal Officer at Cruise LLC. Following law school, he clerked for the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court as well as for both the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal and the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He has been regularly listed as one of the United States' 500 most influential lawyers, and in 2024 was honored as a "Legend in the Law" at the Library of Congress. Ambassador Bleich has served as the Board Chair of PG&E Corp, in the U.S., and Board Chair, of Nuix Ltd. in Australia. He served (three times) as Chair of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board by appointment of President Obama, and on the Executive Committee of the East West Center Board by appointment of Secretary John Kerry. He also serves on the board of RAND Australia and the Australian American Leadership Dialogue. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Law Institute. Ambassador Bleich previously served as the Chair of the California State University Board of Trustees, Trustee of Amherst College, President of the California State Bar, and President of the Bar Association of San Francisco. Flinders University has named the Jeff Bleich Centre on Democracy and Disruptive Technologies in his honor.
Professor Colin Stirling - Deputy Chairman
Professor Colin Stirling has extensive experience in research, teaching and management. As President and Vice- Chancellor, he is responsible for ensuring the success and efficacy of Flinders University while providing strategic direction to its employees. Educated in Scotland, his early genetics research took him to the University of California, followed by the University of Manchester where he was awarded several prestigious prizes.
Throughout an esteemed academic career, Professor Stirling has established a record of strategic leadership, innovation and successful change management. Professor Stirling has held a range of board positions across health, academic and community organisations and is currently a Director of Education Australia, the General Sir John Monash Foundation and IDP Education.
Rear Admiral the Hon Kevin Scarce AC CSC RAN (Rtd)
Kevin Scarce, born in Adelaide, served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1968, retiring in 2004. Kevin specialised in military logistics and procurement, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral and Head of Maritime Systems at the Defence Materiel Organisation. In 2007 Kevin was appointed the 34th Governor of South Australia and served in that role until 2014. Kevin was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 1994, the Knight of Grace in the Venerable Order of Saint John in 2007, Officer of the Order of Australia (Military Division) in 2004 and a Companion of the Order of Australia (General Division) in 2008. Kevin completed a Bachelor of Financial Administration from New England, Master of Management Economics Degree at the University of New South Wales, and a Master Degree in National Security Strategy at the US War College (National Defense University) in Washington, DC. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Flinders University in 2009 for distinguished service to the public of South Australia and an Honorary Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) from the University of New England in 2014. He served as the 16th Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, was Chair of the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority from 2018 to 2022, Chair of Novita from 2014 to 2022, and is currently Chairman of Operation Flinders, APC Technology, Barossa Australia, Humanihut and Deputy Chairman of Seeley International and Chair of its Audit and Finance Committee.
Shaun Bonett
Shaun Bonett founded Precision Group in 1994 and serves as its CEO & MD. In addition, Shaun is a Director of Exoflare, Managing Director of Lenders Direct, and the Chairman of Litigation Lending Services, a pioneer of social justice causes for minority groups. Shaun holds a Bachelor of Arts (Major in Jurisprudence), Bachelor of Law and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of South Australia and is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Australia.
Shaun is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, member of the Young Presidents' Organisation, member of the President's Council of the Art Gallery of NSW, and founder of his own charity the Heartfelt Foundation that supports charities and people who no one else will help. In 2022, The University of South Australia bestowed on Shaun an honorary doctorate for his contributions and accomplishments in the business and philanthropic sectors.
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