Rate My Professor Robin Callister

Emeritus Professor Robin Callister holds the position of Emeritus Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle. She earned a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Sydney, where she worked as a registered pharmacist for eight years. She then obtained a Master of Science and PhD in Exercise Physiology from Ohio University, conducting PhD research at the US Olympic Training Centre in Colorado Springs. Postdoctoral training followed in endocrinology and exercise at Ohio University and cardiovascular physiology at the University of Arizona. Upon returning to Australia, she joined the University of Newcastle as a Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine. Promoted to Professor in 2010, she served as Head of Discipline of Human Physiology in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy. She is Exercise Science Theme Leader in the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Chair of the Animal Care and Ethics Committee, Deputy Chair of the Education Committee, member of the School Executive, and Director of the Board of University Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Professor Callister's research focuses on exercise physiology, particularly the role of exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle interventions in preventing and managing health disorders including obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke recovery, Type 2 diabetes prevention, depression in youth, asthma, and sports injuries. She has collaborated with the Australian Institute of Sport, Newcastle Jets, and Newcastle Knights on training adaptations, performance enhancement, and injury prevention in sports such as rugby and soccer. Notable programs include SHED-IT and PULSE for weight loss in overweight men, Healthy Dads Healthy Kids for fathers and children, and Healthy Body Healthy Mind for depression treatment. Recent publications include 'How physically active are women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer?' (2025), 'The COMbined Physical and somatoSEnsory (COMPoSE) training intervention to improve upper limb recovery after stroke' (2025), 'Effects of Moderate- Versus Vigorous-Intensity Exercise Training on Asthma Outcomes in Adults' (2024), and 'The 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' program' (2015). Awards include the University of Newcastle's Award for Research Supervision Excellence and Research Supervisor of the Year (both 2016), and the Mulligan Concept Research Award (2009).