Kirin Hilliar

Biography

Dr Hilliar completed her Master in Psychology (Forensic) and PhD at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. Her professional background spans forensic, organisational, and clinical psychology across Australia and the UAE, including roles in corrective services, forensic mental health, workplace assessment for government entities, and therapeutic outpatient services. At Heriot-Watt University, she teaches across psychology programmes while also practising part‑time as a licensed Psychologist in Dubai. She regularly consults with government, semi‑government, and private organisations, with a strong commitment to ensuring that professional practices in legal, organisational, and educational settings are grounded in research evidence.

Dr Hilliar’s research interests cross cognitive psychology (e.g., face recognition), clinical psychology (e.g., mental health service provision, bullying), and forensic psychology (e.g., violent behaviours). Her work often examines how psychological science can inform real‑world systems such as policing, education, and organisational practice. She has presented at international conferences and contributed to applied research that bridges academic insight with professional practice.

Academic leadership and affiliations

Internal

• Chair, Psychology Ethics Review Committee
• Deputy Chair, SOSS Ethics Review Committee
• Member, School Disciplinary Committee (SDC), SOSS
• Member, University Senate
• Member, University Disciplinary Committee (UDC)
• Member, University Studies Committee (USC)

External

• Organising Lead, International Psychology Conference Dubai (IPCD)
• Consultant and contributor, VIWELL

Qualifications

• BPS Level 1 & 2 Test User: Occupational – Ability & Personality, CEB (now Gartner), 2016
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of New South Wales (UNSW), 2011
• Master of Psychology (Forensic), University of New South Wales (UNSW), 2011
• Bachelor of Psychology (First Class Honours, University Medal), University of New South Wales (UNSW), 2006

Publications

• Hilliar, K. F. (2024). Sticks and stones, scripts and scenes: Utilizing theatre‑based teaching approaches into anti‑bullying workshops in high schools. AsiaPLAT Conference, Bengaluru, India.
• Noble, L., Hilliar, K. F., & Tawfik, L. (2022). Exploring the impact of collaborative theatre in the creation of a culture of resilience. International Psychology Conference Dubai.
• Hilliar, K. F. (2022). Integrating AI with human decision‑making to optimise face recognition and face matching in police investigations. World Police Summit, Dubai.
• Hilliar, K. F. (2020). Forensic psychology considerations when using face recognition technology and evidence. Forensics Middle East and Africa.
• Hilliar, K. F., Kemp, R. I., & Denson, T. F. (2010). Now everyone looks the same: Alcohol intoxication reduces the own‑race bias in face recognition. Law and Human Behavior, 34(5), 367–378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10979-009-9204-x
• Hilliar, K. F., & Kemp, R. I. (2008). Barack Obama or Barry Dunham? The appearance of multiracial faces is affected by the names assigned to them. Perception, 37(10), 1605–1608. https://doi.org/10.1068/p6255
• Hilliar, K. F. (2008). Police‑recorded assaults on hospital premises in New South Wales: 1996–2006. NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.