Professor Alison Ritter, AO is an internationally recognised drug policy scholar and the Director of the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) at the University of New South Wales. She is an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow leading a multi-disciplinary program of research on drug policy. The goal of the work is to advance drug policy through improving the evidence-base, translating research and studying policy processes. Her research work has focussed on many aspects of drug policy, including research on drug laws (eg: decriminalisation models, threshold quantities), drug treatment (eg: funding systems, unmet demand for treatment, treatment planning), models and methods of democratic participation in drug policy; and research focussed on policy process (eg: policy stasis and policy change). Her work is supported by grants from competitive research funding bodies (NHMRC, ARC) as well as commissioned research from governments across Australia.

Professor Ritter worked as a clinical psychologist in the alcohol and drug treatment sector prior to commencing full-time research. She has contributed significant policy and practice developments across alcohol and drug policy over many years. She is past President of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy, and Editor in Chief for the International Journal of Drug Policy.  

Professor Ritter has an extensive research grant track record ($31m). She has published widely in the field including two edited books; multiple book chapters and more than 200 other publications.