Overview
Background
Dr Shekari completed her PhD with Queensland University of Technology in 2016, and her postdoctoral fellowship with Alertness CRC at Monash University and Austin Health in January 2019. Shamsi is currently a Research Fellow with the Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR) at UQ. Her research interests are key socio-psychological issues such as drowsy / fatigued driving and risky driving behaviours. Shamsi is one of the investigators of the NHMRC project “Reducing crash risk for young drivers: A randomized control trial to improve sleep”.
Availability
- Dr Shamsi Shekari Soleimanloo is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology
Research interests
-
Usability of countermeasures for sleepiness on improving performance, wellbeing and alertness or for detecting sleepiness/fatigue in the community
There are limited evidence for effectiveness and accuracy of countermeasures for sleepiness to improve performance, wellbeing and alertness in various sectors of society. A broad research program into “usability of countermeasures for sleepiness on improving performance, wellbeing and alertness or for detecting sleepiness/fatigue in the community” needs to be framed as some PhD projects such as 1) effects of naturalistic or artificial light on school children performance and alertness of non-standard workers (e.g. health care personnel, fire fighters, police, drivers, and pilots), 2) usability of infrared light devices for detection of fatigue in non-standard workers, 3) effects of combination of naps or extended wake times with light on improving safety related tasks (flight, driving, medical practices, emergency services) in naturalistic and or simulated conditions), and 4) effects of increased bed time for late schooling on family wellbeing.
-
Sleep and circadian health in non-standard workers and communities
From a societal perspective, the availability of staff outside the 9 am –5 pm working day is necessary in some sectors (e.g. health care, and the trucking, and airline). In addition, the work patterns of parents, school timings or digital technologies are causing the sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions in school children. The Sleep and circadian health in non-standard workers and community project could be tailored towards multiple PhD programs to 1) Characterise the role of sleep, activity rhythms in performance and behaviour in non-standard workers, 2) understand the detrimental effects of non-standard work on household wellbeing and 3) role of school timing, parents work or digital media on young children sleep, circadian health and learning outcomes.
-
Neuropsychology of behavioural and social risk in society
The psychological and neurological aspects of risk taking behaviours in social interactions or during work are yet to be fully understood. The general research topic of “neuropsychology of behavioural and social risk in society” could be studied as multiple PhD projects including but not limited to 1) sleep as a behavioural and social risk determinant in safety related tasks (e.g. flight, driving, medical practices, emergency services and firefighting) in naturalistic and or simulated conditions, 2) relationship between impaired sleep from alcohol/drug abuse and performance/risk taking behaviour (e.g. drivers, workers), and 3) relationship between chronic diseases or pain behavioural and social risk in society (e.g. Parkinson diseases and driving, chronic pain and work performance).
Research impacts
-Influence on policy development and public practice
In my postdoctoral fellowship with the Alertness CRC in Melbourne in Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue Project, I lead three phases of this national project that for the first time in the world examined the influence of schedule characteristics of heavy vehicle drivers on their real-time drowsiness on the road. In this project, I validated the accuracy of infrared-light technologies (Optalert glasses) for detecting truck driver drowsiness (phase 1). Further, I examined the relationship between drowsiness (eye-blink parameters) and work-rest durations of 60 truck drivers (phase 2b retrospective and prospective studies). My research findings and government reports had an immediate and direct translation to the transport industry in early 2019 and have informed the current ongoing reform in the heavy vehicle national law fatigue management.
-Media comment
My PhD compared the efficacy of blue-green light with caffeine in reviving young sleepy adults while driving on the simulator. TV and radio and broadcast and digital media release of my PhD findings in 2016 attracted a considerable number of audiences in QLD, Southern Cross, Tasmania and Hobart, and Sydney as follows:
1-Drivers are being urged to be mindful of the fatal five as thousands of Queenslanders take to the roads this Easter. Interviewees: Shamsi Shekari, Researcher| Steve Spalding, RACQ, Channel 7, Brisbane, Seven News, Qld, aired on 25 Mar 2016 at 4:17 PM, Number of audiences: 80,000 views
2-New research from the Qld University of Technology has found a combination of caffeine and light therapy could help combat driver fatigue. Interviewees: Shamsi Shekari, Researcher| Steve Spalding, RACQ, Southern Cross Tasmania, Hobart, Southern Cross Nightly News, aired on 25 Mar 2016 at 6:33 PM, 47,000 views
3- Driver fatigue contributes to 20% of road accidents. Interviewees: Shamsi Shekari, Researcher| Steve Spalding, RACQ, Channel 7, Brisbane, Seven News, Qld, aired on 25 Mar 2016 at 6:39 PM, 305,000 views
New research from the Qld University of Technology has found a combination of caffeine and light therapy could help combat driver fatigue, which is blamed for 20% of road accidents. Interviewees: Shamsi Shekari, Researcher| Steve Spalding, RACQ, Channel 7, Sydney, Seven News, aired on 25 Mar 2016 at 6:51 PM, 358,000 views
4-The glasses helping keep drivers alert. Interviewees: Shamsi Shekari, Researcher| Steve Spalding, RACQ7 News, aired on 25 Mar 2016 at 7:48 PM, https://au.news.yahoo.com/video/watch/31189970/the-glasses-helping-keep-drivers-alert/#page1
5-“According to the Queensland University of Technology’s study, caffeine and blue-green light have significant effects on improving the driving performance of chronically sleep-deprived young people”. 2MCE, Orange, 11:00 National Radio News, broadcast on 01 April 2016 at 11:02 AM
6-“Caffeine and blue-green light improve the performance of young motorist who is deprived of sleep, according to a study from the Qld University of Technology". 2MCE, Orange, 11:00 National Radio News, broadcast on 01 April 2016 at 6:01 PM
7-“Bright light combined with caffeine can improve driving performance and alertness of chronically sleep-deprived young drivers, according to a road safety stud”y. August 2016, Science Daily
Works
Search Professor Shamsi Shekari Soleimanloo’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Housing well-being and sleep in Australia
Edmed, Shannon L., Huda, M. Mamun, Alam, Ashraful, Pattinson, Cassandra L., Rossa, Kalina R., Soleimanloo, Shamsi Shekari and Smith, Simon S. (2025). Housing well-being and sleep in Australia. Sleep Health. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2025.02.001
2024
Conference Publication
O057 Sleep patterns and their associations with mental health and financial well-being in ride-hail drivers
Jaydarifard, S., Smith, S., Mann, D., Rossa, K. and Shekari Soleimanloo, S. (2024). O057 Sleep patterns and their associations with mental health and financial well-being in ride-hail drivers. Sleep DownUnder 2024, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 16-19 October 2024. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpae070.057
2024
Journal Article
Heart rate variability as an indicator of fatigue: A structural equation model approach
Srinivasan, Arvind Gnani, Smith, Simon S., Pattinson, Cassandra L., Mann, Dwayne, Sullivan, Karen, Salmon, Paul and Soleimanloo, Shamsi Shekari (2024). Heart rate variability as an indicator of fatigue: A structural equation model approach. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 103, 420-429. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2024.04.015
2024
Journal Article
Reducing crash risk for young drivers: Protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial to improve young driver sleep
Smith, Simon S., Rossa, Kalina R., Soleimanloo, Shamsi Shekari, Pattinson, Cassandra L., Mann, Dwayne L., Edmed, Shannon L., Salmon, Paul M. and Sullivan, Karen A. (2024). Reducing crash risk for young drivers: Protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial to improve young driver sleep. Heliyon, 10 (5) e27066, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27066
2023
Journal Article
Sleep mediates the relationship between precarious employment and mental health
Jaydarifard, Saeed, Smith, Simon S., Rossa, Kalina R., Mann, Dwayne, Nikooharf Salehi, Elahe and Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi (2023). Sleep mediates the relationship between precarious employment and mental health. Sleep Medicine: X, 6 100092, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.sleepx.2023.100092
2023
Journal Article
Sleep duration is associated with young adult's heart rate variability response to stress
Gadam, S., Rossa, K., Pattinson, C., Shekari Soleimanloo, S., Mann, D., Salmon, P., Sullivan, K. and Smith, S. (2023). Sleep duration is associated with young adult's heart rate variability response to stress. Sleep Advances, 4 (Supplement_1) O045, A17-A17. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpad035.045
2023
Journal Article
Interventions to increase sleep duration in young people: a systematic review
Gadam, Sylistah, Pattinson, Cassandra L., Rossa, Kalina R., Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi, Moore, Jane, Begum, Tahmina, Gnani Srinivasan, Arvind and Smith, Simon S. (2023). Interventions to increase sleep duration in young people: a systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 70 101807, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101807
2023
Book Chapter
Light as a countermeasure to sleepiness and its potential for use in the transport industry
Soleimanloo, Shamsi Shekari and Smith, Simon (2023). Light as a countermeasure to sleepiness and its potential for use in the transport industry. The handbook of fatigue management in transportation. (pp. 351-361) edited by Christina M. Rudin-Brown and Ashleigh J. Filtness. Boca Raton, FL, United States: CRC Press. doi: 10.1201/9781003213154-30
2023
Journal Article
Precarious employment and associated health and social consequences; a systematic review
Jaydarifard, Saeed, Smith, Simon S., Mann, Dwayne, Rossa, Kalina R., Nikooharf Salehi, Elahe, Gnani Srinivasan, Arvind and Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi (2023). Precarious employment and associated health and social consequences; a systematic review. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47 (4) 100074, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100074
2023
Journal Article
A brief assessment of eye blink drowsiness immediately prior to or following driving detects drowsiness related driving impairment
Cori, Jennifer M., Wilkinson, Vanessa E., Soleimanloo, Shamsi Shekari, Westlake, Justine, Stevens, Bronwyn, Rajaratnam, Shantha M. W. and Howard, Mark E. (2023). A brief assessment of eye blink drowsiness immediately prior to or following driving detects drowsiness related driving impairment. Journal of Sleep Research, 32 (3) e13785, 1-12. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13785
2023
Conference Publication
The mediating effect of sleep quality and psychological distress on the relationship between precarious employment and physical health
Jaydarifard, Saeed, Smith, Simon, Rossa, Kalina, Mann, Dwayne, Nikooharf Salehi, Elahe and Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi (2023). The mediating effect of sleep quality and psychological distress on the relationship between precarious employment and physical health. 17th World Congress on Public Health, Rome, Italy, 2-6 May 2023. Heraklion, Greece: EU European Publishing. doi: 10.18332/popmed/163873
2022
Journal Article
The impact of break duration, time of break onset, and prior shift duration on the amount of sleep between shifts in heavy vehicle drivers
Harris, Rachael, Beatty, Caroline J., Cori, Jennifer M., Spitz, Gershon, Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi, Peterson, Scott A., Naqvi, Aqsa, Barnes, Maree, Downey, Luke A., Shiferaw, Brook A., Anderson, Clare, Tucker, Andrew J., Clark, Anna, Rajaratnam, Shantha M.W., Howard, Mark E., Sletten, Tracey L., Wolkow, Alexander P. and on behalf of the National Transport Commission Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue Project Team (2022). The impact of break duration, time of break onset, and prior shift duration on the amount of sleep between shifts in heavy vehicle drivers. Journal of Sleep Research, 32 (2) e13730, e13730. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13730
2022
Conference Publication
O066 The impact of work break characteristics on sleep duration in heavy vehicle drivers
Harris, R., Beatty, C., Cori, J., Spitz, G., Soleimanloo, S., Peterson, S., Naqvi, A., Barnes, M., Downey, L., Shiferaw, B., Anderson, C., Tucker, A., Clark, A., Rajaratnam, S., Howard, M., Sletten, T. and Wolkow, A. (2022). O066 The impact of work break characteristics on sleep duration in heavy vehicle drivers. 33rd annual scientific meeting of Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) & Australian and New Zealand Sleep Science Association (ANZSSA), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 8-11 November 2022. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac029.065
2022
Conference Publication
P058 The mediating effect of sleep on the relationship between precarious employment and mental health
Jaydarifard, S., Smith, S., Mann, D., Rossa, K., Huda, M., Nikooharf Salehi, E. and Shekari Soleimanloo, S. (2022). P058 The mediating effect of sleep on the relationship between precarious employment and mental health. 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting of Australasian Sleep Association, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 8-11 November 2022. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac029.131
2022
Conference Publication
O072 Episodes of drowsiness present during cognitively demanding tasks
Gnani Srinivasan, A., Mann, D., Smith, S., Gadam, S. and Shekari Soleimanloo, S. (2022). O072 Episodes of drowsiness present during cognitively demanding tasks. 33rd annual scientific meeting of Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) & Australian and New Zealand Sleep Science Association (ANZSSA), Brisbane, QLD Australia, 8-11 November 2022. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac029.071
2022
Journal Article
The association of schedule characteristics of heavy vehicle drivers with continuous eye-blink parameters of drowsiness
Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi, Sletten, Tracey L., Clark, Anna, Cori, Jennifer M., Wolkow, Alexander P., Beatty, Caroline, Shiferaw, Brook, Barnes, Maree, Tucker, Andrew J., Huda, M Mamun., Anderson, Clare, Rajaratnam, Shantha M.W. and Howard, Mark E. (2022). The association of schedule characteristics of heavy vehicle drivers with continuous eye-blink parameters of drowsiness. Transportation Research. Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 90, 485-499. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2022.08.019
2022
Conference Publication
Association of drowsiness events with a combination of sleep loss and other work metrics
Shekari Soleimanloo, S., Sletten, T., Clark, A., Cori, J., Wolkow, A., Beatty, C., Shiferaw, B., Barnes, M., Tucker, A., Anderson, C., Rajaratnam, S. and Howard, M. (2022). Association of drowsiness events with a combination of sleep loss and other work metrics. 33rd annual scientific meeting of Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) & Australian and New Zealand Sleep Science Association (ANZSSA), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 8-11 November 2022. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press . doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac029.178
2022
Journal Article
Bright light alone or combined with caffeine improves sleepiness in chronically sleep-restricted young drivers
Soleimanloo, Shamsi Shekari, Garcia-Hansen, Veronica, White, Melanie J., Huda, M Mamun and Smith, Simon S. (2022). Bright light alone or combined with caffeine improves sleepiness in chronically sleep-restricted young drivers. Sleep Medicine, 93, 15-25. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2022.03.013
2021
Conference Publication
P039 Interventions used to increase sleep duration in young people: a systematic review
Gadam, S., Pattinson, C., Soleimanloo, S., Rossa, K., Moore, J., Begum, T., Srinivasan, A. and Smith, S. (2021). P039 Interventions used to increase sleep duration in young people: a systematic review. 2021 Australasian Sleep Association Abstracts, Virtual, 10-13 October 2021. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpab014.087
2021
Conference Publication
P133 Backward rotating shifts are associated with real-time drowsiness during daytime drives in heavy vehicle drivers
Shekari Soleimanloo, S., Sletten, T., Clark, A., Cori, J., Wolkow, A., Beatty, C., Shiferaw, B., Barnes, M., Tucker, A., Anderson, C., Rajaratnam, S. and Howard, M. (2021). P133 Backward rotating shifts are associated with real-time drowsiness during daytime drives in heavy vehicle drivers. 2021 Australasian Sleep Association Abstracts, Virtual, 10-13 October 2021. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpab014.174
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Shamsi Shekari Soleimanloo is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Heart Rate Variability in Fatigue Assessment: A Multimodal Approach
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Cassandra Pattinson, Professor Simon Smith
-
Doctor Philosophy
Return to safe driving after upper limb surgery
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Simon Smith
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Improving sleep health in young adults
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Pattinson, Dr Kalina Rossa, Professor Simon Smith
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Sleep, Health, and Social Consequences of Precarious Employment.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Kalina Rossa, Professor Simon Smith
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Shamsi Shekari Soleimanloo directly for media enquiries about:
- circadian rhythm
- drowsiness indicators
- Drowsy driving
- drugged driving
- eye-blink parameters of drowsiness
- Fatigued driving
- Risky driving
- Road safety
- Sleep deprivation
- young drivers
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: