Rate My Professor Magdalena Wilczynska

Dr. Magdalena Wilczyńska is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She holds a PhD from the University of Newcastle, where her doctoral thesis focused on the development and evaluation of a multicomponent intervention, the 'eCoFit' randomised controlled trial, to improve aerobic and muscular fitness among adults at risk of or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Prior to her PhD, she earned a Master of Psychology (Clinical) and a Master of Arts in Psychology of Management and Marketing from SWPS University in Poland. During her doctoral studies from 2014 to 2017, she was based at the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition at the University of Newcastle. She also completed a research internship at Yale University's Department of Psychology in 2016.

Wilczyńska's research specializations centre on health psychology and behaviour change, with a focus on physical activity interventions, preventive care for chronic disease risk behaviours in mental health settings, and implementation science. Her work includes the eCoFit program, which integrates smartphone technology, social support, and outdoor environments to enhance fitness and mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety in adults with or at risk of type 2 diabetes. Key publications include 'Digital contact tracing technologies in epidemics: a rapid review' (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020), cited over 1900 times; 'Integrating smartphone technology, social support and the outdoor physical environment to improve fitness among adults at risk of, or diagnosed with, type 2 diabetes: findings from the eCoFit randomized controlled trial' (Preventive Medicine, 2017); 'Consumer perception and behaviour related to low-alcohol wine: do people overcompensate?' (Public Health Nutrition, 2020); 'Physical activity intervention for rural middle-aged and older Australian adults: a pilot implementation study of the eCoFit program' (Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 2021); and recent systematic reviews on learning health systems and implementation barriers (2025-2026). Her contributions appear in high-impact journals, advancing preventive health strategies in community and mental health contexts.