Professor Ashton-James, PhD, is a social psychologist and pain scientist who partners with patients, clinicians, and healthcare organisations to improve the efficacy and accessibility of treatments for chronic and acute pain. Prof Ashton-James' is also an educator, teaching on social aspects of pain and healthcare delivery within undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney. In addition, Prof Ashton-James develops and facilitates interactive workshops for practicing clinicians to enable them to identify and address patient emotion and distress in clinical encounters, thereby improving patient engagement and reducing clinician risk of burnout. With a keen interest in optimising education delivery improved university governance and policy, Prof Ashton-James has several leadership roles, including Research Education Academic Director for the Northern Precinct of the Faculty of Medicine and Health.