Rate My Professor Ryan Drew

Dr Ryan Drew is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy at the University of Newcastle, Australia, where he serves as Program Convenor for the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science program. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy in 2022 at the University of Newcastle, investigating a gender-tailored eHealth intervention targeting health behaviours and cognitions in men with depression and obesity. His earlier qualifications include a Bachelor of Human Movement and a Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) from Charles Sturt University, and a Master of Educational Leadership from Australian Catholic University. As an early-career researcher, Drew's work centers on designing and evaluating health behaviour change interventions that promote physical activity to enhance men's physical and mental health. His research interests span health psychology, men's health, mental health, obesity, physical activity, resistance training, weight loss, and health promotion. Fields of research include sport and exercise psychology (40%), health promotion (40%), and sports science and exercise (20%).

Drew received the 2019 Annual Greaves Family Postgraduate Scholarship in health and medical research from Hunter Medical Research Institute in recognition of his work's academic quality and impact. He has contributed to funded projects such as the Comparative effectiveness of walk-and-talk vs traditional psychotherapy for men with low mood: A randomised trial (2024–2027, $797,285, Department of Health and Aged Care) and Development and Evaluation of a Gender-tailored, Mental Health Podcast for Men: A Pilot Trial (2025, $14,985, College of Engineering, Science & Environment, University of Newcastle). Key publications include Drew RJ et al. (2022), 'Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes of an Online Weight Loss Program for Men With Low Mood: A Randomized Controlled Trial', Annals of Behavioral Medicine; Drew RJ et al. (2022), 'Mechanisms of an eHealth program targeting depression in men with overweight or obesity: A randomised trial', Journal of Affective Disorders; Robinson K et al. (2023), 'Effects of Resistance Training on Academic Outcomes in School-Aged Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis', Sports Medicine; Morgan PJ et al. (2022), 'Impact of the 'Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads' program on physical activity and other health behaviours: a randomised controlled trial involving fathers and their preschool-aged children', BMC Public Health; and Drew RJ et al. (2021), 'Men's Perceptions of a Gender-Tailored eHealth Program Targeting Physical and Mental Health: Qualitative Findings from the SHED-IT Recharge Trial', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.