Rate My Professor Hayley Christian

Professor Hayley Christian holds a PhD in Public Health (with Distinction) and a BSc from The University of Western Australia, where she completed her doctorate in 2008. With over 20 years of professional experience in health promotion practice, research project management, and teaching, she is a Professor at The University of Western Australia and Senior Research Fellow in the UWA Medical School and UWA Centre for Child Health Research, affiliated with The Kids Research Institute Australia. She also serves as Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Population and Global Health. Christian leads the PLAYCE (Play Spaces & Environments for Children’s Physical Activity) program of research, a multidisciplinary team focused on children's health. She heads the Healthy Behaviours and Environments program and the Child Physical Activity, Health and Development team at Telethon Kids Institute, and is Co-Director of the Western Australia Node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, as well as Knowledge Transfer Portfolio Lead for the same centre. Earlier roles include Associate Lecturer in the School of Population and Global Health and Graduate Entry Medical Program PBL tutor in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.

Christian's research focuses on improving children’s physical activity levels, health, and well-being through multi-level interventions targeting the child, family, social, and built environments. Her work identifies and tests strategies for healthy early childhood education and care environments, investigates how home and neighbourhood environments shape children’s health and development, and explores natural experiments on built environment impacts on health, along with benefits of pets and nature contact for children and adults. She has received the Member of the Order of Australia (AM), 2020 WA Young Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year, National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowships (Level 1, 2016-2020; Level 2, 2020-2024), NHMRC/National Heart Foundation Early Career Fellowship (2012-2016), ARC Postgraduate Award - Industry (2004-2008), School of Population and Global Health Mid-Career Research Award (2023), Finalist for WA Science Awards HBF Mid-Career Scientist of the Year (2022), multiple UWA Research Excellence and Innovation Awards, Australian Health Promotion Association-Ray James Memorial Prize (2015), and VicHealth Award for Research into Action (2015). Key publications include 'Dog ownership, dog walking, and physical function in mid-older adults: Findings from the HABITAT cohort study' (2026), 'Effects of dog ownership on children’s social-emotional development: findings from the PLAYCE cohort study' (2026), 'Home Yard and Neighbourhood Physical Environment Latent Class Profiles and Preschooler’s Physical Activity Behaviour: Findings from the PLAYCE Study' (2026), 'Evaluating the scale-up of the Play Active programme for children’s physical activity in early childhood education and care services' (2025), and 'Profile of the PLAY spaces & environments for children’s physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep (PLAYCE) cohort study, Western Australia' (2025). She serves as a reviewer for the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and Director of Healthway.