Dr Gregory Roach

I am currently employed as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of South Australia’s Centre for Sleep Research. I have been awarded over $750,000 in national competitive grants, published almost 30 peer-reviewed book chapters and journal articles, and presented papers at 19 academic conferences. In addition to my academic research activities, I have managed studies associated with research contracts worth over $1.5 million, written over 50 reports commissioned by the public and private sectors, addressed 14 industry conferences as an invited speaker, and conducted over 40 focus groups.

For three years after finishing my PhD (2002-2004), I held an Australian Post-doctoral Research Fellowship (Industry) as a Chief Investigator on an ARC Linkage Grant. The Linkage Grant funded a series of studies with Qantas, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and the Australian and International Pilots Association to consider the effects of fatigue on the operational performance of pilots in Boeing 747-400 simulators. I am a Chief Investigator on two current ARC grants: (i) a Discovery Grant that is funding a series of studies to validate and modify a biomathematical model of human fatigue and performance, and (ii) a Linkage Grant that is funding a series of studies with the Royal Flying Doctors Service and National Jet Systems to develop, and evaluate the implementation of, a fatigue risk management system for the Australian aviation industry.

In the process of investigating fatigue’s causes, consequences and countermeasures, I have undertaken numerous studies based in the laboratory, in simulated work settings, and in the field. My research has contributed to both the academic community’s and industry sector’s understanding of the impact of irregular work schedules on the sleep patterns, ability to perform tasks safely, and circadian adaptation of shiftworkers. This research has been instrumental in demonstrating that irregular work schedules, particularly those that involve long work periods, night work, and/or transmeridian flight, may expose shiftworkers to a serious workplace hazard.

Australasian Sleep Association (ASA)

World Federation of Sleep Research Societies (WFSRS)

Sleep Research Society (SRS)

European Sleep Research Society (ESRS)

PhD (1998–2001).
University of South Australia. Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (1995).
University of Adelaide. Department of Psychology.

Bachelor of Commerce (1992–1994).
University of Adelaide. Department of Economics and Commerce.

Bachelor of Economics (1989–1991).
University of Adelaide. Department of Economics and Commerce.

• Laboratory-based:
  • effects of sleep restriction/deprivation on neurobehavioural performance
  • effects of irregular sleep/wake patterns on the circadian system

• Simulator-based:
  • comparative effects of fatigue and alcohol intoxication on efficiency/safety in rail operations (rural/urban train drivers)
  • effects of fatigue on expert decision-making in aviation operations (Boeing 747-400 pilots)

• Field-based:
  • effects of irregular duty schedules on sleep, alertness, and neurobehavioural performance (rural/urban train drivers)
  • effects of domestic and international flight schedules on sleep, alertness, and neurobehavioural performance (Boeing 737, 767, 747, 744 pilots)

• Computer models to predict the work-related fatigue associated with irregular duty schedules.

Refereed Journal Articles

Dorrian J, Roach GD, Fletcher F, & Dawson D (2006 - in press). The effects of fatigue on train handling during speed restrictions. Transportation Research Part F: Psychology and Behaviour (ISSN 1369-8478).

Dorrian J, Roach GD, Fletcher F, & Dawson D (2006 - in press). Simulated train driving: Fatigue, self-awareness and cognitive disengagement. Applied Ergonomics (ISSN 1369-8478).

Kandelaars KJ, Baulk S, Fletcher A, Eitzen G, Roach GD, & Dawson D (2006 - in press). Observations of age-related differences in neurobehavioural performance in a 12-h shift system. Sleep and Biological Rhythms (ISSN 1446-9235).

Kandelaars KJ, Fletcher A, Eitzen G, Roach GD, & Dawson D (2006 - in press). Layover sleep prediction for cockpit crews during transmeridian flight patterns. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine (ISSN 0095-6562).

Kandelaars KJ, Lamond N, Roach GD, & Dawson D (2005). The impact of extended leave on sleep and alertness in the Australian rail industry. Industrial Health (ISSN 0019-8366), 43(1), 105-113.

Lamond N, Dawson D, & Roach GD (2005). Fatigue assessment in the field: Validation of a hand-held psychomotor vigilance task. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine (ISSN 0095-6562), 76(5), 486-489.

Roach GD, Lamond N, Dorrian J, Burgess H, Holmes A, Fletcher A, McCulloch K, & Dawson D (2005). Changes in the concentration of urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin during a week of simulated night work. Industrial Health (ISSN 0019-8366), 43(1), 193-196.

Loh S, Lamond N, Dorrian J, Roach GD, & Dawson D (2004). The validity of psychomotor vigilance tasks of less than 10 minutes duration. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, (ISSN 0743-3808), 36(2), 339-346.

Baker A, Roach GD, Ferguson S, & Dawson D (2004). Shiftwork experience and the value of time. Ergonomics (ISSN 0014-0139), 47(3), 307-317.

Lamond N, Dorrian J, Burgess HJ, Holmes AL, Roach GD, McCulloch K, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2004). Assessment of performance during a week of simulated night work. Ergonomics (ISSN 0014-0139), 47(2), 154-165.

Roach GD, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2004). A model to predict work-related fatigue based on hours of work. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine (ISSN 0095-6562), 75(3 section II), A61-A69.

Roach GD, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2004). Response to commentaries on a model to predict work-related fatigue based on hours of work. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine (ISSN 0095-6562), 75(3 section II), A74.

Baker A, Roach GD, Ferguson S, & Dawson D (2003). The impact of different rosters on employee work and non-work time preferences. Time and Society (ISSN 0961-463X), 12(2/3), 315-332.

Burgess HJ, Savic N, Sletten T, Roach GD, Gilbert SS, & Dawson D (2003). The relationship between the dim light melatonin onset and sleep on a regular schedule in young healthy adults. Behavioral Sleep Medicine (ISSN 1540-2002), 1(2), 102-114.

Dorrian J, Lamond N, Holmes AL, Burgess HJ, Roach GD, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2003). The ability to self-monitor performance during a week of simulated night shifts. Sleep (ISSN 0161-8105), 26(7), 871-877.

Lamond N, Dorrian J, Roach GD, McCulloch K, Holmes AL, Burgess HJ, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2003). The impact of a week of simulated night work on sleep, circadian phase and performance. Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ISSN 1351-0711), 60(11), e13.

Roach GD, Reid K, & Dawson D (2003). The amount of sleep obtained by locomotive engineers: Effects of break duration and time of break onset. Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ISSN 1351-0711), 60(12), e17.

Roach GD, Rodgers M, & Dawson D (2002). Circadian adaptation of aircrew to transmeridian flight. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine (ISSN 0095-6562), 73(12), 1153-1160.

Baker A, Ferguson S, Roach GD, & Dawson D (2001). Perceptions of labour pain by mothers and their attending midwives. Journal of Advanced Nursing (ISSN 0309-2402), 35(2), 171-179.

Holmes AL, Burgess HJ, McCulloch K, Lamond N, Fletcher A, Dorrian J, Roach GD, & Dawson D (2001). Daytime cardiac autonomic activity during one week of continuous night shift. Journal of Human Ergology (Tokyo) (ISSN 0300-8134), 30(1-2), 223-228.

Lamond N, Dorrian J, Roach GD, Burgess HJ, Holmes AL, McCulloch K, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2001). Performance, sleep and circadian phase during a week of simulated night work. Journal of Human Ergology (Tokyo) (ISSN 0300-8134), 30(1-2), 137-142.

Roach GD, Burgess H, Lamond N, Dorrian J, Holmes A, Fletcher A, McCulloch K, & Dawson D (2001). A week of simulated night work delays salivary melatonin onset. Journal of Human Ergology (Tokyo) (ISSN 0300-8134), 30(1-2), 255-260.

Roach GD, Dorrian J, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2001). Comparing the effects of fatigue and alcohol intoxication on locomotive engineers’ performance in a rail simulator. Journal of Human Ergology (Tokyo) (ISSN 0300-8134), 30(1-2), 125-130.

Roach GD, Taylor MAP, & Dawson D (1999). A comparison of South Australia’s driver licensing methods: Competency-based training vs. practical examination. Transportation Research Part F (ISSN 1369-8478), 2(2), 69-80.

Book Chapters

Darwent D, Roach GD, Sletten T, Lamond N, & Dawson D (2002). The layover sleep of pilots flying from Australia to Asia, Europe, and the United States. In: IGN Susila (Ed.) Kumpulan Makalah Ergonomi (ISBN 979-8286-54-5). Udayana University Press, Denpasar, Bali, pp. 723-729.

Lamond N, Roach GD, Loh S, & Dawson D (2002). Is there an alternative to the 10-minute PVT for field studies? In: IGN Susila (Ed.) Kumpulan Makalah Ergonomi (ISBN 979-8286-54-5). Udayana University Press, Denpasar, Bali, pp. 512-521.

McCulloch K, Sletten T, Roach GD, Fletcher A, & Dawson D (2002). The effects of fatigue on the subjective performance ratings of urban train drivers. In: IGN Susila (Ed.) Kumpulan Makalah Ergonomi (ISBN 979-8286-54-5). Udayana University Press, Denpasar, Bali, pp. 409-415.

Petrilli R, Lamond N, Roach GD, & Dawson D (2002). Identifying the cognitive skills that are most affected by fatigue within a decision-making framework. In: IGN Susila (Ed.) Kumpulan Makalah Ergonomi (ISBN 979-8286-54-5). Udayana University Press, Denpasar, Bali, pp. 548-556.

Roach GD, Sletten T, Darwent D, & Dawson D (2002). How well do international pilots sleep during layovers? In: IGN Susila (Ed.) Kumpulan Makalah Ergonomi (ISBN 979-8286-54-5). Udayana University Press, Denpasar, Bali, pp. 736-745.

Sletten T, Darwent D, Roach GD, Young D, & Dawson D (2002). The quantity and quality of aircrew sleep in on-board rest facilities. In: IGN Susila (Ed.) Kumpulan Makalah Ergonomi (ISBN 979-8286-54-5). Udayana University Press, Denpasar, Bali, pp. 641-647.

Sletten T, McCulloch K, Roach GD, Fletcher A, Darwent D, Lamond N, & Dawson D (2002). Work-related fatigue and urban rail simulator performance. In: IGN Susila (Ed.) Kumpulan Makalah Ergonomi (ISBN 979-8286-54-5). Udayana University Press, Denpasar, Bali, pp. 648-656.

Fletcher A, Roach GD, Lamond N, & Dawson D (2000). Laboratory based validations of a work-related fatigue model based on hours of work. In: S Hornberger, P Knauth, G Costa, & S Folkard (Eds.) Shiftwork in the 21st Century: Challenges for Research and Practice (ISBN 0-8204-4364-6). Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, pp. 93-98.

Roach GD, Fletcher A, Rodgers M, & Dawson D (2000). The effect of several small time zone transitions on the timing of salivary melatonin onset. In: S Hornberger, P Knauth, G Costa, & S Folkard (Eds.) Shiftwork in the 21st Century: Challenges for Research and Practice (ISBN 0-8204-4364-6). Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, pp. 137-142.

I am able to provide media comment in the following areas of expertise:

Discipline: Shiftwork, Circadian Physiology

• impact of shiftwork on individuals, families, communities, and organisations
• impact of fatigue on safety in transportation industries (air, rail, road)
• impact of sleep restriction/deprivation on daytime performance
• impact of night work on sleep, alertness, and performance
• impact of international flight on sleep, alertness, and performance
• jetlag - causes, consequences, countermeasures (leisure, business, sporting travel)
• fatigue risk management systems

I have supervised students conducting programs of research at the undergraduate, honours, masters, and PhD levels. I encourage any undergraduate or postgraduate students considering research projects in my areas of expertise (see research interests above) to contact me regarding opportunities for supervision/collaboration.