Our team of researchers have experience and expertise in a range of disciplines and social science research methodologies.


Professor Barry Milne
COMPASS Director
I am a quantitative social scientist and Director of the Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences (COMPASS). My research focusses on using life-course data to identify predictors for health and wellbeing outcomes, particularly in the areas on mental health. My areas of expertise include micro-simulation, administrative data, longitudinal studies, socio-economic and ethnic inequalities and child development.

Dr Stephanie D'Souza
Deputy Director
My research interests are diverse, with the overarching theme of using administrative and survey data to promote equitable and sustainable outcomes in society. I have a particular focus on wellbeing outcomes over the lifespan. Key topics of interest include:
1. Supporting maternal mental health
2. ADHD support and outcomes
3. Treatment and outcomes associated with psychiatric conditions over the lifespan
4. Understanding the health needs of Asian New Zealanders
5. Exploring long-term health outcomes of contact sport athletes

Dr Lisa Underwood
Senior Research Fellow
Health service researcher with a background in Psychology and a special interest in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Qualifications: PhD Health Service Research (King’s College London, 2012)
Areas of Expertise: Psychology; Health services research; Cognitive development; Autism spectrum disorder; Intellectual disability; Rare disorders


Dr Natalia Boven
Postdoctoral Fellow
Natalia is a post-doctoral research fellow at COMPASS Research Centre. Her main research area is quantitative social science, with a focus on using linked data to understand inequities.
Natalia recently completed her PhD, which examined different approaches to measuring family socioeconomic position, and was supervised by Dr Nichola Shackleton, Associate Professor Barry Milne and Professor Thomas Lumley. She previously completed a BA with a double major in statistics and psychology, a BA(Hons) in statistics, and a Master’s in Public Policy.

Martin von Randow
Data Manager
Working at COMPASS Research Centre, University of Auckland, I have worked extensively with census data and projects involving Statistics New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). I have organised short courses for COMPASS as the New Zealand Social Statistics Network (NZSSN) since 2009, and administered mail surveys for the New Zealand Election Study (NZES, http://www.nzes.net) and the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP, http://www.issp.org), starting in 2011.
Research Associates

Komathi Kolandai
Research Associate
Dr. Komathi Kolandai brings over 13 years of post-PhD research experience, encompassing transdisciplinary research and work across multiple disciplines. Currently, at the Public Policy Institute, her collaborative projects with Professor Jennifer Curtin examine the gendered impacts of COVID-19, including changes in unpaid care work, the development of gender-sensitive wellbeing indicators, and gender-responsive analysis and budgeting.
At the School of Psychology, she collaborates with Professor Niki Harré on publications related to community psychology, including outputs from the Rōpū Whai Whakaaro action research project, which focuses on values-based living.
Dr. Kolandai is also an associate of the COMPASS Research Centre, where she aims to produce publications based on data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing vaccine hesitancy and public perceptions of vaccine mandates.

Dr Arezoo Malihi
Research Associate
Areas of Expertise: Epidemiology, Population Health, Longitudinal studies, Refugees’ resettlement, Family Violence, Childhood Obesity,
Since 2019 July, I have worked as a Research Fellow with Department of Pediatrics, Social and Community Health (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences), and School of Counselling, Human Services and Social work in the university of Auckland.
In the last two years, my research focus was on refugees and their settlement outcomes in New Zealand at the School of Counselling and Human Resources, Faculty of Education, University of Auckland which involves working with large data stored in the IDI (Integrated Data Infrastructure).

Dr Liza Bolton
I am a statistics enthusiast and passionate about statistics education. My stats education interests include: teaching and assessing ethical professional practice and writing for statisticians, computation and programming, online learning, supporting student mental health, building undergraduate student community, large classroom teaching and innovative assessments.
My research background is in understanding how people’s social and economic experiences relate to risk of death in Aotearoa New Zealand, using longitudinally linked census data. I also used to run a small consulting company, the Data Embassy, working with a range of business, education and not-for-profit clients.

Dr Eileen Li
Research Associate
Our University collaborators
Our national collaborators
Our international collaborators
Professor Signe Hald Andersen Rockwool Foundation
Project(s) |
Professor Janeen Baxter The University of Queensland
Project(s) |
Professor Avshalom Caspi Duke University
Project(s) |
Professor Terrie Moffitt Duke University
Project(s) |
Assoc. Prof. Leah Richmond-Rakerd University of Michigan
Project(s) |
Dr Yanshu Huang The University of Queensland
Project(s) |
Dr Martin O’Flaherty The University of Queensland
Project(s) |
Our advisory board
Professor James Curran Statistics j.curran@auckland.ac.nz |
Professor Chris Bullen Population Health c.bullen@auckland.ac.nz |
Dr Marama Muru-Lanning James Henare Māori Research Centre m.murulanning@auckland.ac.nz |
Bevan Iles Faculty of Arts Finance bevan.iles@auckland.ac.nz |
Professor Leo Paas Marketing leo.paas@auckland.ac.nz |
Professor Simon Holdaway Research Strategy and Integrity sj.holdaway@auckland.ac.nz |
Professor Nancy November Musicology n.november@auckland.ac.nz |