
Encourages creative and innovative thinking.
Always kind, respectful, and approachable.
Brings real-world relevance to learning.
A role model for academic excellence.
Great Professor!
Mr. Steve Blunden serves as Adjunct Professor of Practice in the School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Health Administration and has a distinguished career in Aboriginal health services leadership, currently as Chief Executive Officer of the Casino Aboriginal Medical Service (CAMS) in New South Wales. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Durri Aboriginal Corporation Medical Service. Blunden's professional contributions bridge clinical practice and academic research, focusing on health challenges in rural and remote Indigenous Australian communities.
Blunden's research specializations include Indigenous health research outputs, musculoskeletal conditions, low back pain risk factors, and physical activity patterns among rural Aboriginal youth. Key publications co-authored by him are 'Indigenous health research: a critical review of outputs over time' in the Medical Journal of Australia (2006, with Bob B. Davis), analyzing publication trends in Indigenous health. 'Low back pain risk factors in a large rural Australian Aboriginal community. An opportunity for managing co-morbidities?' in Chiropractic & Osteopathy (2005, with Dein Vindigni, Lynne Parkinson, Janice Perkins, David A. Rivett, and Bruce F. Walker), identifying prevalence and comorbidities in the Durri community. 'Understanding physical activity patterns among rural Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people' in Rural and Remote Health (2019, with Josephine D. Gwynn, Louise L. Hardy, Nicole Turner, Lauren Krnjacki, Ding Ding, Vanessa Y. Chau, Stephen McLaughlin, Adrian Bauman, and John Wiggers), examining activity levels for intervention design. Additionally, 'A community-based sports massage course for Aboriginal health workers' in Rural and Remote Health (2005, with Dein Vindigni, Janice Perkins, Bruce Walker, and Lynne Parkinson) details training delivered to Aboriginal health workers and elders at Durri Aboriginal Corporation. Blunden has collaborated on projects such as the Memory Study for Indigenous dementia and the Many Rivers Diabetes Prevention Project, partnering with University of Newcastle faculty on grants and initiatives to enhance health outcomes in Aboriginal populations.