People_

Dr Damian Mellifont

Lived Experience Research Fellow
Centre for Disability Research and Policy
Faculty of Medicine and Health

Phone

0434 956 400

Email

damian.mellifont@sydney.edu.au

Resume

Curriculum vitae

Biographical details

As a neurodivergent researcher, Dr Damian Mellifont leads and contributes to studies that advance the economic and social inclusion of people with disability. Damian is a member of the CDRP Leadership Group and has been an active member of the Centre over the last 10 years, with extensive prior experience in government policy. Damian strongly advocates for the disability inclusion mantra of, ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ to be consistently applied to research about disability.

Research interests

Damian’s research interests include:

- informing and evaluating disability policy, programs and services
- promoting diversity and inclusion
- progressing more people with disability into employment and leadership roles
- accommodating neurodivergent staff (and prospective staff) on an individualised basis
- revealing the work performance strengths of neurodivergence
- challenging ableism and sanism (i.e., disability discrimination)
- encouraging ethical media reporting of disability
- redressing the bullying of neurodivergent employees
- supporting the legal rights of people with disability
- advancing neurodivergent pride

Current projects

Damian is currently supporting a project with Professor Jen-Smith-Merry, Professor Nicola Hancock, and Associate Professor Justin Scanlan that is exploring the topic of showing kindness to external organisational stakeholders.

Damian is also currently working with Professor Jennifer Smith-Merry on a research project that aims to explore the possible influences of contrasting emotions on the risk-reward decision making of persons who are neurotypical.

Awards and honours

BA 'With Distinction', University of Southern Queensland,April 2001.

Keywords

Neurodiversity, equity, inclusion

Approaches

Qualitative Research

Publications

By Type

Expand all

Book Chapters

Mellifont, D., Watharow, A., Daniels-Mayes, S., Smith-Merry, J., O'Donovan, M. (2024). Ethical Inclusion and Participation of People with Disability in Research: Problematising Vulnerability. In Anne Good, Iris Elliott, Sharon Mallon (Eds.), Advances in Disability Research Ethics, (pp. 71-90). United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing Limited. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2023). Narrative 18: Sanist wonderland. In Sally Robinson and Karen R. Fisher (Eds.), Research Handbook on Disability Policy, (pp. 739-740). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Mellifont, D. (2023). Sanist wonderland. In Sally Robinson and Karen R. Fisher (Eds.), Research Handbook on Disability Policy, (pp. 739-740). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. [More Information]

Journals

Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2025). Rationality And Emotion In Neurotypical Risk-Reward Decision Making: Social Justice Implications. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 7(1), 1-24. [More Information]
Watharow, A., Mellifont, D. (2024). A Case Study Unveiling Challenges And Supports For Deafblind And Neurodivergent Researchers And Participants. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 6(2), 109-123. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2023). A Rapid Review Informing About The Discrimination As Experienced By Neurodivergent Defendants. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 5(1), 1-15.
Mellifont, D. (2023). A rapid review informing an assessment tool to support the inclusion of lived experience researchers in disability research. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 12(3), 86-109.
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Bulkeley, K. (2023). The employment of people with lived experience of disability in Australian disability services. Social Policy and Administration, 1, 1-14. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2022). A Critical Analysis of The Neurodiversity Paradigm Involving Individual Expressions. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 4(2), 68-79.
Mellifont, D., Hancock, N., Scanlan, J., Hamilton, D. (2022). Barriers to applying to the NDIS for Australians with psychosocial disability: A scoping review. Australian Journal of Social Issues. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2022). COVID-19 related factors affecting the experiences of neurodivergent persons in the workplace: A rapid review. Work, 71(1), 3-12. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2021). A Qualitative Study Exploring Neurodiversity Conference Themes, Representations, and Evidence-Based Justifications for the Explicit Inclusion and Valuing of OCD. The International Journal of Information, Diversity, and Inclusion, 5(2), 111-138. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2021). Ableist ivory towers: a narrative review informing about the lived experiences of neurodivergent staff in contemporary higher education. Disability and Society. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2021). DMT: It's Dynamite! A Case Study Critically Exploring the Contemporary Scholarly Reporting of Dimethyltryptamine-Induced Spiritual Experiences. Australian Journal of Parapsychology, 21(1), 65-90.
Mellifont, D. (2021). Facilitators and Inhibitors of Mental Discrimination in the Workplace: A Traditional Review. Studies in Social Justice, 15(1), 59-80. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2020). A critical exploration of university policy supporting the employment and career development of people with disability in the Australian academy. Australian Journal of Career Development, 29(2), 117-126. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2020). Strolling with Swedenborg: A Rapid Review Critically Investigating the Contemporary Scholarly Evidence Base for Simultaneous Spiritual-Physical Experiences. Australian Journal of Parapsychology, 20(2), 161-179.
Mellifont, D. (2020). Taming the Raging Bully! A Case Study Critically Exploring Anti-bullying Measures to Support Neurodiverse Employees. South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, 9(1), 54-67. [More Information]
Smith-Merry, J., Mellifont, D., McKenzie, K., Clenaghan, P. (2019). A narrative review of mental health support for people during transition from incarceration to community: The grass can be greener on the other side of the fence. Journal of Mental Health, 28(2), 189-197. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Contemporary Newspaper Reporting on Obsessive Volume LV, Number-2, April-June, 2019 Communicator Compulsive Disorder: An Ethical Guide. Communicator, 2, 141-165.
Mellifont, D. (2019). DESerting clients? A Study Investigating Evidence-based Measures Supporting the Longterm Employment of Neurodiverse Australians. Management and Labour Studies, 44(4), 455-466. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). In a false paradise of fools, the dancin' jester rules! A grounded theory study depicting metaphysical transformations as informed by scholarly reported spirit accounts. Australian Journal of Parapsychology, 19(1), 77-104.
Mellifont, D. (2019). Last Bastion Nevermore! A Qualitative Exploration of the Australian Government's Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan from the Perspective of Lessening Mental Stigma and Sanism in the Workplace. Studies in Social Justice, 13(2), 283-303. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Mental Health and Media: A Study Exploring How Stigma is Promoted and Challenged Within National Newspaper Reporting on Neurodivergence in Australia. Communicator, 4, 29-52.
Mellifont, D. (2019). Neuro magnifico! An exploratory study critically reviewing news text reporting of anxiety-related work performance strengths, challenges and support measures. Work, 63(3), 435-446. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Non-disabled Space Invaders! A Study Critically Exploring the Scholarly Reporting of Research Attributes for Persons With and Without Disability. Studies in Social Justice, 13(2), 304-321. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Shifting neurotypical prevalence in knowledge production about the mentally diverse! A qualitative study exploring factors potentially influencing a greater presence of lived experience-led research. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 8(3), 66-94.
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Dickinson, H., Llewellyn, G., Clifton, S., Ragen, J., Raffaele, M., Williamson, P. (2019). The ableism elephant in the academy: a study examining academia as informed by Australian scholars with lived experience. Disability and Society, 34(7-8), 1180-1199. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2018). Neurodiverse Be the Policymakers! A Study Exploring News Text Informed Potential for Anxiety-Enhanced Policymaking and Guiding the Progressive Reporting of Mental Diversity. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 28(2), 250-266. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2018). Soft affirmative action lacking traction? An early qualitative exploration of the RecruitAbility Scheme performance within the Australian Public Service. Australian Journal of Career Development, 27(1), 20-28. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2017). DESperately Seeking Service: A narrativereview informing a disability employment services reform framework for Australianswith mental illness. Work, 58(4), 463-472. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2017). Hold Your Traditional Discourses! A Study Exploring Newspaper and Web News Reporting of New York's Inaugural Disability Pride Parade. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 27(1), 138-153. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2017). Underreporting ‘Bout a Revolution: A Historical–Comparative Study Exploring Major Newspaper Coverage of Disability Rights in a Revolutionary Context (1980–2017). Asia Pacific Media Educator, 27(2), 282-297. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Scanlan, J. (2016). Disabling accommodation barriers: A study exploring how to better accommodate government employees with anxiety disorders. Work, 55(3), 549-564. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2016). Laying or delaying the groundwork? A critical framing analysis of Australia's National Disability Strategy from an implementation planning perspective. Disability and Society, 31(7), 929-947. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Scanlan, J. (2016). Pitching a Yerkes-Dodson Curve Ball?: A study exploring enhanced workplace performance for individuals with anxiety disorders. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 31(2), 71-86. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2015). The Anxious Times: An Analysis of the Representation of Anxiety Disorders in The Australian Newspaper, 2000-2015. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 25(2), 278-296. [More Information]

show 31 more

Report

Mellifont, D., Chang, J., Crawford, T., Villeneuve, M. (2023). Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning and Disaster Management Plenary Forum: South Australia, 7 December 2023 - Centre for Disability Research and Policy. The University of Sydney.
Mellifont, D., Chang, J., Crawford, T., Villeneuve, M. (2023). Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning and Disaster Management Plenary Forum: Victoria & Tasmania 11 November 2023. Centre for Disability Research and Policy. The University of Sydney.
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2023). Examining employment barriers and enablers for people with psychosocial disability – A scoping review. The University of Sydney.
Hancock, N., Mellifont, D., Scanlan, J., Hamilton, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2022). Breaking down Barriers: Co-designed recommendations to reduce stakeholder identified NDIS access barriers for people with psychosocial disability. The University of Sydney.
Smith-Merry, J., Mellifont, D., Gillespie, J., Salvador-Carulla, L. (2016). Recovery-oriented community mental health models: An evidence check.
Mellifont, D., Scanlan, J., Smith-Merry, J. (2015). Disabling employment obstacles: a study exploring accommodations that can assist government employees with anxiety. The University of Sydney.

show 3 more

Research Reports

Bennett, J., Tattersall, A., McCormack, B., Moore, K., Mellifont, D., Conley Wright, A., Fennis, L., Krayem, G., Sawan, M., Huber, E., O'Callaghan, M. (2024). Illuminating lived experience: Exploring researcher perspectives on co-design through participatory methods, Australia: Sydney Policy Lab. [More Information]

By Year

Expand all

2025

Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2025). Rationality And Emotion In Neurotypical Risk-Reward Decision Making: Social Justice Implications. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 7(1), 1-24. [More Information]

2024

Watharow, A., Mellifont, D. (2024). A Case Study Unveiling Challenges And Supports For Deafblind And Neurodivergent Researchers And Participants. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 6(2), 109-123. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Watharow, A., Daniels-Mayes, S., Smith-Merry, J., O'Donovan, M. (2024). Ethical Inclusion and Participation of People with Disability in Research: Problematising Vulnerability. In Anne Good, Iris Elliott, Sharon Mallon (Eds.), Advances in Disability Research Ethics, (pp. 71-90). United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing Limited. [More Information]
Bennett, J., Tattersall, A., McCormack, B., Moore, K., Mellifont, D., Conley Wright, A., Fennis, L., Krayem, G., Sawan, M., Huber, E., O'Callaghan, M. (2024). Illuminating lived experience: Exploring researcher perspectives on co-design through participatory methods, Australia: Sydney Policy Lab. [More Information]

2023

Mellifont, D. (2023). A Rapid Review Informing About The Discrimination As Experienced By Neurodivergent Defendants. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 5(1), 1-15.
Mellifont, D. (2023). A rapid review informing an assessment tool to support the inclusion of lived experience researchers in disability research. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 12(3), 86-109.
Mellifont, D., Chang, J., Crawford, T., Villeneuve, M. (2023). Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning and Disaster Management Plenary Forum: South Australia, 7 December 2023 - Centre for Disability Research and Policy. The University of Sydney.
Mellifont, D., Chang, J., Crawford, T., Villeneuve, M. (2023). Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning and Disaster Management Plenary Forum: Victoria & Tasmania 11 November 2023. Centre for Disability Research and Policy. The University of Sydney.
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2023). Examining employment barriers and enablers for people with psychosocial disability – A scoping review. The University of Sydney.
Mellifont, D. (2023). Narrative 18: Sanist wonderland. In Sally Robinson and Karen R. Fisher (Eds.), Research Handbook on Disability Policy, (pp. 739-740). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Mellifont, D. (2023). Sanist wonderland. In Sally Robinson and Karen R. Fisher (Eds.), Research Handbook on Disability Policy, (pp. 739-740). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Bulkeley, K. (2023). The employment of people with lived experience of disability in Australian disability services. Social Policy and Administration, 1, 1-14. [More Information]

show 5 more

2022

Mellifont, D. (2022). A Critical Analysis of The Neurodiversity Paradigm Involving Individual Expressions. Journal of Humanity & Social Justice, 4(2), 68-79.
Mellifont, D., Hancock, N., Scanlan, J., Hamilton, D. (2022). Barriers to applying to the NDIS for Australians with psychosocial disability: A scoping review. Australian Journal of Social Issues. [More Information]
Hancock, N., Mellifont, D., Scanlan, J., Hamilton, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2022). Breaking down Barriers: Co-designed recommendations to reduce stakeholder identified NDIS access barriers for people with psychosocial disability. The University of Sydney.
Mellifont, D. (2022). COVID-19 related factors affecting the experiences of neurodivergent persons in the workplace: A rapid review. Work, 71(1), 3-12. [More Information]

show 1 more

2021

Mellifont, D. (2021). A Qualitative Study Exploring Neurodiversity Conference Themes, Representations, and Evidence-Based Justifications for the Explicit Inclusion and Valuing of OCD. The International Journal of Information, Diversity, and Inclusion, 5(2), 111-138. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2021). Ableist ivory towers: a narrative review informing about the lived experiences of neurodivergent staff in contemporary higher education. Disability and Society. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2021). DMT: It's Dynamite! A Case Study Critically Exploring the Contemporary Scholarly Reporting of Dimethyltryptamine-Induced Spiritual Experiences. Australian Journal of Parapsychology, 21(1), 65-90.
Mellifont, D. (2021). Facilitators and Inhibitors of Mental Discrimination in the Workplace: A Traditional Review. Studies in Social Justice, 15(1), 59-80. [More Information]

show 1 more

2020

Mellifont, D. (2020). A critical exploration of university policy supporting the employment and career development of people with disability in the Australian academy. Australian Journal of Career Development, 29(2), 117-126. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2020). Strolling with Swedenborg: A Rapid Review Critically Investigating the Contemporary Scholarly Evidence Base for Simultaneous Spiritual-Physical Experiences. Australian Journal of Parapsychology, 20(2), 161-179.
Mellifont, D. (2020). Taming the Raging Bully! A Case Study Critically Exploring Anti-bullying Measures to Support Neurodiverse Employees. South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, 9(1), 54-67. [More Information]

2019

Smith-Merry, J., Mellifont, D., McKenzie, K., Clenaghan, P. (2019). A narrative review of mental health support for people during transition from incarceration to community: The grass can be greener on the other side of the fence. Journal of Mental Health, 28(2), 189-197. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Contemporary Newspaper Reporting on Obsessive Volume LV, Number-2, April-June, 2019 Communicator Compulsive Disorder: An Ethical Guide. Communicator, 2, 141-165.
Mellifont, D. (2019). DESerting clients? A Study Investigating Evidence-based Measures Supporting the Longterm Employment of Neurodiverse Australians. Management and Labour Studies, 44(4), 455-466. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). In a false paradise of fools, the dancin' jester rules! A grounded theory study depicting metaphysical transformations as informed by scholarly reported spirit accounts. Australian Journal of Parapsychology, 19(1), 77-104.
Mellifont, D. (2019). Last Bastion Nevermore! A Qualitative Exploration of the Australian Government's Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan from the Perspective of Lessening Mental Stigma and Sanism in the Workplace. Studies in Social Justice, 13(2), 283-303. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Mental Health and Media: A Study Exploring How Stigma is Promoted and Challenged Within National Newspaper Reporting on Neurodivergence in Australia. Communicator, 4, 29-52.
Mellifont, D. (2019). Neuro magnifico! An exploratory study critically reviewing news text reporting of anxiety-related work performance strengths, challenges and support measures. Work, 63(3), 435-446. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Non-disabled Space Invaders! A Study Critically Exploring the Scholarly Reporting of Research Attributes for Persons With and Without Disability. Studies in Social Justice, 13(2), 304-321. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2019). Shifting neurotypical prevalence in knowledge production about the mentally diverse! A qualitative study exploring factors potentially influencing a greater presence of lived experience-led research. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 8(3), 66-94.
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Dickinson, H., Llewellyn, G., Clifton, S., Ragen, J., Raffaele, M., Williamson, P. (2019). The ableism elephant in the academy: a study examining academia as informed by Australian scholars with lived experience. Disability and Society, 34(7-8), 1180-1199. [More Information]

show 7 more

2018

Mellifont, D. (2018). Neurodiverse Be the Policymakers! A Study Exploring News Text Informed Potential for Anxiety-Enhanced Policymaking and Guiding the Progressive Reporting of Mental Diversity. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 28(2), 250-266. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2018). Soft affirmative action lacking traction? An early qualitative exploration of the RecruitAbility Scheme performance within the Australian Public Service. Australian Journal of Career Development, 27(1), 20-28. [More Information]

2017

Mellifont, D. (2017). DESperately Seeking Service: A narrativereview informing a disability employment services reform framework for Australianswith mental illness. Work, 58(4), 463-472. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2017). Hold Your Traditional Discourses! A Study Exploring Newspaper and Web News Reporting of New York's Inaugural Disability Pride Parade. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 27(1), 138-153. [More Information]
Mellifont, D. (2017). Underreporting ‘Bout a Revolution: A Historical–Comparative Study Exploring Major Newspaper Coverage of Disability Rights in a Revolutionary Context (1980–2017). Asia Pacific Media Educator, 27(2), 282-297. [More Information]

2016

Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Scanlan, J. (2016). Disabling accommodation barriers: A study exploring how to better accommodate government employees with anxiety disorders. Work, 55(3), 549-564. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2016). Laying or delaying the groundwork? A critical framing analysis of Australia's National Disability Strategy from an implementation planning perspective. Disability and Society, 31(7), 929-947. [More Information]
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J., Scanlan, J. (2016). Pitching a Yerkes-Dodson Curve Ball?: A study exploring enhanced workplace performance for individuals with anxiety disorders. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 31(2), 71-86. [More Information]
Smith-Merry, J., Mellifont, D., Gillespie, J., Salvador-Carulla, L. (2016). Recovery-oriented community mental health models: An evidence check.

show 1 more

2015

Mellifont, D., Scanlan, J., Smith-Merry, J. (2015). Disabling employment obstacles: a study exploring accommodations that can assist government employees with anxiety. The University of Sydney.
Mellifont, D., Smith-Merry, J. (2015). The Anxious Times: An Analysis of the Representation of Anxiety Disorders in The Australian Newspaper, 2000-2015. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 25(2), 278-296. [More Information]

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Dr Damian Mellifont

Publications

By Type

By Year