Research Teams

Associate Professor Nicole Watson

A/Professor Watson, Co-Director of the HILDA Survey Project brings over 25 years of survey methodology expertise. Specialising in weighting, imputation, and data quality, she's been integral to HILDA since 2000. Her diverse experience spans fieldwork management, sampling strategies, and data user training, backed by roles at key Australian institutions.

Professor Roger Wilkins

Professor Wilkins, Co-Director of the HILDA Survey, is an expert in labour markets, the distribution of economic wellbeing, and socio-economic disadvantage. He seeks to inform and improve Australian economic and social policy through his research and through his numerous engagement activities, which include speaking at public events, media appearances and serving on advisory bodies.

Ms Harshita Bhatia

Harshita Bhatia is a Foundation Fellow driven to make the world more equitable using data-driven insights. She currently supports two research teams – Disadvantage and Wellbeing in the Asia-Pacific, and HILDA. She has extensive experience using primary, micro and spatial data for varied economic analysis.

Ms Roopa Kamath

Roopa Kamath is a HILDA Database Support Officer at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research. She specialises in data quality, editing, and documentation, as well as the development and testing of CAPI scripts. Passionate about ensuring accurate and reliable research data.

Dr Inga Laß

Dr Inga Lass is Deputy Director - Research of the HILDA Survey and a Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute. She is also co-coordinator of the executive board of Research Network 13, “Family and Intimate Lives”, at the European Sociological Association. Her research focuses on the interplay between employment arrangements, worker well-being, and family life.

Ms Ninette Macalalad

As the Database Engineer and Analyst for HILDA, Ninette Macalalad brings data to life. Her expertise in managing complex systems ensures integrity of vital longitudinal information. Ninette's analytical skills and attention to detail support critical research, shaping understanding of Australian households through HILDA's comprehensive datasets.

Dr Mossamet Kamrun Nesa

Dr Mossamet Kamrun Nesa is a Survey Statistician/Methodologist for the HILDA Survey. Her research focuses on data quality and how well the important HILDA Survey represents the population, small-area estimation methods, and public health issues, including child malnutrition and maternal health in Bangladesh and other developing nations.

Dr Kyle Peyton

Dr Peyton is an expert in causal inference and the design and analysis of randomised experiments in survey, lab, and field settings. His research integrates tools from data science and causal inference to advance the empirical study of pressing problems in political economy and public policy.

Dr Nicolás Salamanca

Dr Salamanca is a Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute and an expert in economics of education and family economics. His research informs the design of evidence-based education, family, and welfare policies to improve socioeconomic equality and the efficiency of public investments in children and families.

Ms Michelle Summerfield

Michelle is HILDA Deputy Director - Survey Management, specialising in data analysis and fieldwork coordination for large-scale studies. Leveraging her background in social science and public health, she expertly manages complex datasets and implements strategies to maximise response rates. Her work ensures high-quality data collection, driving impactful research outcomes.