Jason Prior

Jason Prior is Professor of Planning, Health and Environment at the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) at University of Technology Sydney (UTS). He also serves as Program Lead for Graduate Research at ISF, Lead of the Healthy Populations and Environments Platform in Maridulu Budyari Gumal: Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE), and Co-convenor of the Climate Change and Health Collaborative within UTS's INSIGHT research institute. His academic career spans multiple leadership roles including Research Director and Deputy Lead of the Higher Degree Research Program at ISF.

Prior's research program focuses on the critical intersection of environment, planning, and human and planetary health. His work addresses governance of urban environmental risks, translation of health evidence into urban planning strategies, and governance of controversial urban land uses. His research approach is transdisciplinary, involving collaborations with research organizations, government agencies, industry, NGOs, communities, and professional bodies. His work spans multiple Sustainable Development Goals including Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Climate Action (SDG 13), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on urban sustainability transformations, health system resilience to climate change, and inclusive urban planning. His work increasingly examines the connections between climate change and health systems, with several 2024-2025 publications addressing health worker impacts, extreme weather adaptation, and planetary health governance. His research demonstrates a consistent transdisciplinary approach that bridges urban planning, public health, and environmental science.

• Vice-Chancellor's Research Excellence Through Collaboration Award (2025)
• Clean Air Society Australia and New Zealand Innovation and Excellence in Air Quality Award (2024)
• Australian IoT Award in Research Category for OPENAIR Project (2024)
• 35th National Banksia Sustainability Award in Healthy Planet, Healthy People category (2024)

Prior has attracted over $12 million in competitive external funding through his research program, having led 54 national and international research projects. He is currently Chief Investigator on the ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE) and the OPENAIR research project. He currently supervises 8 HDR students as principal supervisor and serves as a Responsible Academic Officer at ISF. His work with the Global Alliance for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity Leadership Board demonstrates his commitment to transdisciplinary approaches.