Alex Donaldson

Dr Alex Donaldson is a Research Fellow in the Centre of Sport & Social Impact at La Trobe University. He specializes in sports safety, public health, and gender-specific athletic challenges. His work spans injury prevention, mental health in sports, and community-based program evaluation. Key areas include youth sports safety, female athlete health, and climate impacts on sport participation.

Education:

• DHSci, Deakin University (2006)
• MSci, University of Edinburgh (1994)
• BEd, South Australian College of Advanced Education (1984)

Research Focus: Dr Donaldson’s studies emphasize evidence-based interventions for sports injuries, particularly in female athletes and community programs. He employs concept mapping techniques to bridge research and practice gaps. Recent work includes ACL rehabilitation strategies, Olympic coach well-being, and injury prevention in police training.

Grants & Consultancies:

• NHMRC Partnership Project: Football injury prevention (2020–2025)
• Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation: Harm prevention frameworks
• AFL-BHP Partnership: Player safety initiatives

Labs/Teams: Core member of La Trobe’s Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre and leads interdisciplinary projects in the Centre of Sport & Social Impact.