Professor Kylie Hesketh

Professor, Deakin University

Professor Kylie Hesketh holds a Future Leader Fellowship from the Heart Foundation. She is Deputy Director of the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood - Translate. With training in psychology, paediatric public health and behavioural epidemiology, she leads a program of research that focuses on physical activity, sedentary behaviours and obesity prevention in children and youth, with a focus on the early childhood period.

Associate Professor Nicky Ridgers

Associate Professor in Physical Activity and Health, University of South Australia

Nicky's research focuses on the assessment of children's and adolescents' physical activity and sedentary behaviour using a range of different methods. She is particularly interested in the measurement of activity patterns and whether the way in which children accumulate their activity across the day impacts on their cardiometabolic health. Additionally, a major focus of Nicky's research has been the promotion of physical activity using theory-based interventions within school settings, and examining children's and adolescents' activity levels during recess and lunchtime.  

Associate Professor Verity Cleland

Associate Professor, Public Health, University of Tasmania

Verity investigates the factors that lead some people to adopt healthy physical activity behaviours while others do not.   

She is a behavioural epidemiologist and, in her research, she uses a number of methods to study people’s behaviour – surveys, one-on-one interviews, focus group meetings and devices like pedometers to get accurate data about people’s movements as they go about their day.

She is passionate about applying her findings to the way we build our cities and how we provide public services. Working with Hobart’s public bus service, Metro Tasmania, the Department of Health and the Local Government Association of Tasmania, she is leading a study, known as Health by Stealth, to find the most effective ways to encourage people to use public and active transport.