Maureen Hassall

Professor Maureen Hassall serves as the Director of the Sustainable Minerals Institute's Industrial Safety and Health Centre at The University of Queensland, where she brings together expertise in industrial risk management, systems safety engineering, and human factors. With 18 years of industry experience across multiple countries in roles ranging from specialist engineering to organizational change management, she has developed innovative approaches to safety and risk management. Her research focuses on three main areas: creating whole-of-systems risk management approaches utilizing Industry 4.0 advancements, developing human-centered work system designs, and innovating socio-technical systems-based approaches for improved industrial safety. She collaborates extensively with industry professionals to develop and implement better human-centered risk management and safety engineering approaches that enhance operational performance and competitiveness. Her work includes developing evidence-based data analytics, leading indicators, and user-centered methodologies that help practitioners better manage high-hazard and safety-critical systems. As an educator and researcher, she delivers comprehensive training in process safety, systems safety engineering, and risk management to both students and industry professionals, while her research continues to advance the integration of inherently safe design, defense in depth, and operational resilience philosophies.