Biography

Amanda is an Assistant Professor in psychology. Her primary research interests are in psychopharmacology, with a strong interest in substance use and mental health comorbidity and the role of alcohol and illicit substances in personality and cognitive performance. Amandas PhD was on the drug ecstasy and she primarily examined the relationships of ecstasy use with verbal memory and overall cognitive performance, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms. Amanda has worked in both the public and private sectors and she recently completed a report for the university assessing and addressing alcohol use and related harms on campus.

Teaching Areas

•    Psychology 101
•    Personality and Individual Differences

Research Interests

•    Ecstasy/other illicit drug use and mental health
•    Ecstasy/other illicit drug use and cognitive performance
•    Alcohol use among university students
•    Personality and substance use
•    Cognition Research Stream at CAP

Selected Publications and Presentations

George, A. M., Windsor, T., & Rodgers, B. (2011). Are ecstasy users biased towards endorsing mental health symptoms? Results from multiple indicator, multiple cause models using a general community sample. Psychopharmacology, 214, 901-909. doi: 10.1007s00213-010-2100-8

Curcio, A., & George, A. M. (in press, 2011). Selected impulsivity facets with alcohol use/problems: The mediating role of drinking motives, Addictive Behaviors. 

Rickwood, D., George, A. M., Parker, R., & Mikhailovich, K. (2011). Harmful alcohol use on campus: Impact on young people at university. Youth Studies Australia. 30, 34-40.

Vanags, T., George, A. M., Brown, T., & Grace, D. (in press, 2011). Bingo! An engaging activity for learning physiological terms. Teaching of Psychology.

George, A. M., & Vanags, T. (2010). Psychology in an online format: Identified challenges and solutions.  Presented at the University Learning and Teaching Futures Colloquim, 9 September, University of New England, Armidale.

George, A.M., Parker, R., Mikhailovich, K., & Rickwood, D. (2010). Prevalence of hazardous alcohol use and associated harms at an Australian university: Results and recommendations arising from an online survey. Presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference, 28 November-1 December, Canberra.

George, A.M., Parker, R., Mikhailovich, K., & Rickwood, D. (2008). Student alcohol use on campus: assessment and recommendations for action. Unpublished manuscript, Healthpact Research Centre, University of Canberra.

George, A.M., & Rodgers, B. (2006). Shared risk factors need to be accounted for when investigating the association of ecstasy use with depression. Presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference, November 5-8, Cairns, Australia 

George, A.M. (2006). Ecstasy and use of other illicit drugs in the PATH 20-24 sample (Wave 2). Presented at the PATH Conference, November 29, Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University 

George, A.M., & Rodgers, B. (2005). Ecstasy users are not a homogeneous group: exploring within-group differences among a community sample of young adults. Presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference, November 6-9, Melbourne, Australia

George, A.M., & Rodgers, B. (2005). Epidemiology of ecstasy use characteristics of users in the Australian Capital Territory: how are they different? Invited presentation at the Australian Institute of Criminology, September 9, Canberra, Australia 

George, A.M., & Rodgers, B. (2004). Mental health among ecstasy and amphetamine users: results from a community sample of young adults. Presented at the Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research Conference, December 2-4, Fremantle, Australia

George, A.M., & Rodgers, B. (2004). Mental health among ecstasy and amphetamine users: results from a community sample of young adults. Presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference, November 14-17, Fremantle, Australia

George, A.M., & Rickwood, D. (2002). Potential distress from completing mental health questionnaires. Poster presented at the Australian Psychological Society Conference, Gold Coast, Australia

Research Grants and Awards

• 2011 UC Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
• 2011 ALTC Extension Grant - Bringing peer review out of the closet (Vanags, T., McCormack, C., George, A. M., Brown, T., & Ailwood, S.) $5,000
• 2010 - Faculty of Health Recognition Award for Units that Enhance Student Learning
• 2009 - Faculty of Health Team Award for Teaching Excellence
• Centre for Mental Health Research PhD stipend, $5,000
• 2003-2007 Australian Postgraduate Award (PhD Scholarship)
• 2005 Postgraduate scholarship for conference attendance (Illicit Drugs and Development: critical issues for Asia and the Pacific) 

Professional Qualifications & Memberships

• Member Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs