About: Alex is the Director of the Polling Program at the Lowy Institute. Alex is responsible for the Lowy Institute's program on public opinion and foreign policy, including the annual Lowy Institute Poll and polling projects overseas.  Alex's research interests include Australia's diplomacy and diplomatic infrastructure, consular affairs, and public diplomacy. As well as three Lowy Institute Polls, Alex has co-authored major studies for the Lowy Institute on Australia’s diplomacy including the 2011 Diplomatic Disrepair with Andrew Shearer, authored the policy brief Consular Conundrum in 2013 and provides commentary on diplomacy and consular affairs in Australian media. Alex has given evidence at Parliamentary inquiries including the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade's 2012 inquiry into Australia's overseas representation, and its 2011 inquiry on the DFAT Annual Report 2009-10.    Before joining the Institute in 2007, Alex was a senior associate at Mallesons Stephen Jaques Solicitors in Sydney, specialising in intellectual property and consumer law. Prior to her career in law she was an account director and brand manager at multinationals Leo Burnett Advertising and Unilever. Alex was the University Medallist in law at UNSW, has bachelor degrees in Law and Science and an A.Mus.A.