Meet the team
Professor Nicki Dowling
Prof. Dowling is a registered clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Deakin University. With a background as a problem gambling counsellor and over 220 published works, she leads Deakin's Gambling Research Group — driving rigorous, evidence-based research into the identification, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harm. Her work spans screening tools, digital health interventions, and prevention science, always centred on real-world impact for people who gamble and their families.
Dr. Stephanie Merkouris
Dr. Merkouris is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at Deakin University, specialising in gambling and behavioural addictions. Her research focuses on the use of technology for assessment and intervention, including the development of eHealth and mHealth tools for people experiencing gambling harm. She completed her PhD at Monash University in 2017, has published 58 scientific articles, and holds a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling.
Dr. Anna Thomas
Dr. Thomas is a researcher at Deakin University's Gambling Research Group with over two decades of experience in gambling and addiction. Her work focuses on the psychosocial and environmental factors that contribute to the development of gambling problems. Passionate about real-world impact, she is committed to translating research evidence into meaningful policy and practice change — both through her own work and by supporting others to effectively bridge the gap between research and practice.
Dr. Stephanie Dias
Dr. Dias is a registered clinical psychologist and Research Assistant at Deakin University's Gambling Research Group. She holds a PhD and brings both clinical and research expertise to the study of gambling and behavioural addictions, with a particular interest in gambling motivations and the factors that drive gambling behaviour.
Dr. Chloe Hawker
Dr. Hawker is a registered clinical psychologist and Research Fellow at Deakin University's Gambling Research Group. Her research focuses on mHealth and digital interventions for clinical populations, including her work on the GamblingLess app and projects spanning Australia and New Zealand. She brings both clinical expertise and a passion for accessible, technology-driven solutions to gambling harm.
Ms. Monique Gandhi
Ms. Gandhi is a PhD candidate and Research Assistant at Deakin University's Gambling Research Group. Her PhD focuses on people affected by someone else's gambling, including the development of an online intervention to support this often-overlooked group. Alongside her doctoral work, she contributes to multiple projects within the team, with a particular focus on the development and evaluation of the GamblingLess app. Monique is passionate about digital health interventions and bridging the gap between research and real-world practice