Professor Martine Powell
Affiliation: Centre for Investigative Interviewing, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University
Discipline: Psychology
Year elected: 2021
What initially drew you to your field of study?
My early employment as a child psychologist sparked an interest in child witness memory. I observed that children who alleged sexual assault were widely perceived as unreliable witnesses. As a translational scientist, my contribution has been to demonstrate children’s competence while shifting responsibility to interviewers by equipping them with techniques that enhance the quality of children’s evidence.
What are you most proud of?
A longstanding challenge in my field has been the gap between recommended techniques and actual practice. Over many years, my team and I developed the first large-scale, accessible online training program for child interviewers. Evaluation results have shown that it promotes long-term adherence to best-practice interviewing.
How would you describe your work at a dinner party?
My research focuses on how to obtain accurate and detailed information from people about events to assist decision-making. Effective investigative interviewing elicits uninhibited, relevant, accurate and complete information in a fair and respectful way.
What continues to motivate your work?
I’m continually inspired by the diverse, skilled, and values-driven members of my Centre, who share a deep commitment to our work. I’m also motivated by the many practitioners who complete our interviewer training courses and experience tangible benefits in their professional and personal lives.
What is your desert island book, song and/or movie?
I love reading best-selling non-fiction books by leading academics – books that blend popular appeal with intellectual depth. It’s my ambition to write a successful airport book of my own one day.