Speakers and Facilitators
The Australian Social Cohesion Summit 2026 brings together some of Australia's and the world's leading voices on
social cohesion, belonging, identity and community.
Our keynote speakers are recognised for their contributions to research, public policy and public debate.
They will share insights, challenge perspectives and explore the ideas shaping the future of Australia's social fabric.
The summit program will also feature invited speakers, panellists, interactive discussions and presentations from
leading researchers and practitioners.
We are delighted to announce our keynote speakers.
KEYNOTE PRESENTERS
David Marr
Journalist, Author & Radio Host
David Marr, a journalist for 50 years, began reporting on the work of the Scanlon Institute at The Guardian a decade ago and has since drawn on its reports in his books and on the radio. His books include a biography of the Nobel laureate Patrick White and Killing for Country, A Family Story, written after the grim discovery that his great-great-grandfather served with the Queensland Native Police. Most recently he has published a new edition of his stories, essays and speeches, My Country. These days, he presents Late Night Live on ABC Radio National.
Dr Leong Chan-Hoong is Senior Fellow and Head of the Social Cohesion Research Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. An internationally recognised researcher, his work focuses on social cohesion, diversity and inclusion, intercultural relations, and national identity.
He serves on a number of international academic and professional bodies, including the International Academy for Intercultural Research and the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) Asia Pacific Council. His research on intercultural relations and acculturation has been recognised internationally, with bibliometric analysis identifying him as one of the field's most influential scholars.
Beyond academia, Dr Leong has advised government agencies and organisations on issues relating to integration, community relations and social cohesion.
Dr. Leong Chan-Hoong
Nanyang Technological University Singapore
SPEAKERS & FACILITATORS
Trish has more than two decades of experience conducting qualitative research on social cohesion, migration, belonging and community, in Australia and internationally. She specialises in exploring the lived experiences behind the data, helping policymakers, researchers and communities better understand the factors that shape social cohesion.
At the Institute, Trish leads major qualitative and mixed methods research, including the Department of Home Affairs' Multiculturalism in Focus study (2025, 2026), Refugee Experiences in Australia study (2023 and 2025) and Mapping Social Cohesion qualitative study (2022-2024, 2026). Her work has informed government policy, contributed to public debate and advanced national conversations on belonging, identity and social cohesion.
Before joining the Institute in 2020, Trish worked across the government, academic, corporate and not for profit sectors in Australia and overseas, including in Egypt and Switzerland. She holds degrees in Education and Law and has published widely on social cohesion, interfaith relations and human rights.
Trish Prentice
Scanlon Foundation Research Institute
Dr James O’Donnell is a Demographer at the Australian National University with a research focus on social cohesion and wellbeing and their longitudinal and life course relationships with migration, population dynamics and social and economic inequalities. James is the lead investigator of the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute’s Mapping Social Cohesion study, Australia’s pre-eminent and longest-running survey of attitudes, perceptions and behaviours related to social cohesion, immigration and a range of topical issues.
He is also an early career research fellow of the Australian Research Council, funded to study how cohesion and wellbeing are changing over time and in response to personal and societal upheaval.
James was awarded a PhD in Demography in December 2019. This research was focused on measuring and understanding the patterns, prevalence and dynamics of different types of housing and homelessness.
Dr James O’Donnell
School of Demography, Australian National University
Dr John van Kooy is a researcher and policy analyst with 20 years of international experience in academia, government, and community organisations. He has held positions with World Vision International, Monash University, Welcoming Australia, and the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
His PhD, awarded in 2022, focused on the neighbourhood conditions for refugee resettlement in Australia. He has published numerous reports and articles on the settlement, integration, and inclusion of migrants and refugees.
In his current role as Senior Manager, Social Research with the Scanlon Institute, he leads strategic projects drawing on the Institute’s data assets and community connections.
Dr John van Kooy
Scanlon Foundation Research Institute
Dr Rouven Link is a social researcher with expertise in migration and multiculturalism. He is currently working as Research Manager - Data and Analytics at the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute.
Prior to joining the Institute, he completed his PhD at Deakin University in 2023.
In current and previous roles at Deakin University, he has been involved in research projects on hate crime, hate speech and hate incidents, including a mapping of international approaches to defining and measuring these and related phenomena.
Dr Rouven Link
Scanlon Foundation Research Institute
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