Professor Timo Dietrich

Professor Timo Dietrich’s research and engagement collaboration with the Centre has resulted in several Australian Research Council Linkage funded projects. From 2016–2018, Professor Dietrich held a jointly funded fellowship at NCYSUR and Social Marketing @ Griffith (SM@G). He now leads Blurred Minds, a long-running evidence-based youth substance prevention initiative developed through this collaboration and now operating at significant scale across Australian schools. In 2025, Blurred Minds was recognised for excellence in Community Engagement by the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards.

Blurred Minds combines behavioural science, gamification and curriculum-aligned education to help young people navigate alcohol, vaping, cannabis and emerging substance-related challenges. More than a decade of research has demonstrated improvements in knowledge, more critical beliefs about substance use, more accurate social norms, reduced positive expectancies, and stronger refusal skills and confidence to act under pressure.

Over the past 15 years, Blurred Minds has engaged hundreds of schools, supported parents and educators, and evolved into a broader prevention ecosystem spanning classroom resources, digital learning, workshops and community engagement. NCYSUR remains a key Blurred Minds partner organisation.

Find out more about Professor Dietrich's work here.