Rate My Professor Ron Rapee

Ronald M. Rapee, PhD (University of New South Wales, 1985), is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology in the School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University, a position he has held since 2010 after joining the institution in 1993 from the University of Queensland. With a background in clinical psychology, he founded and directed the Centre for Emotional Health, which has evolved into the Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre, where he continues as a prominent member. Previously an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, Professor Rapee has advanced the field through rigorous clinical trials evaluating treatment efficacy for mental disorders.

His research interests encompass anxiety, depression, and related internalising disorders across the lifespan, with emphases on developmental pathways, risk factors, prevention strategies, body image concerns, mental health literacy, stigma reduction, and novel service delivery methods. Renowned for developing the Cool Kids suite of empirically supported cognitive-behavioral programs targeting youth anxiety, these interventions have been translated into more than 25 languages, disseminated in over 30 countries, and assisted tens of thousands of young people globally. With over 400 publications garnering more than 74,000 citations, his work includes influential theoretical models of anxiety disorder etiology, such as the cognitive model of social phobia, and practical resources like the book Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents. Professor Rapee has mentored over 50 doctoral students to successful careers, serves on multiple journal editorial boards, and contributes to committees including the Anxiety Disorders Advisory Committee for WayAhead, the mental health association of NSW. He engages communities via workshops, school presentations, and media contributions. His profound impact is evidenced by awards including the Distinguished Career Award from the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (2009), the Distinguished Contribution to Science Award from the Australian Psychological Society (2009), and appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (2012) for contributions to clinical psychology, especially among youth.