Julie Saunders

Julie Saunders is an Associate Professor and Head of the School of Population and Global Health at The University of Western Australia. Her research spans public health with emphasis on physical activity, gender studies, transportation systems, and aged care interventions, contributing significantly to UN Sustainable Development Goals in health and well-being across Australian communities.

Her research fingerprint reveals dominant expertise in Australia Social Sciences (100%), Physical Activity Psychology (75%), and Sex Differences Psychology (75%), with substantial work in Gender Difference Nursing (50%) and Student Transportation (41%). Current investigations focus on active school transportation patterns, gender-responsive offender rehabilitation, and dental workforce integration in aged care facilities.

Recent publications demonstrate consistent thematic focus on translating public health research into practical Australian interventions, particularly examining children's active mobility environments, school walkability metrics, and gender-specific treatment efficacy in criminal justice settings.

Dr. Saunders leads five major research projects including the longitudinal TREK Study on child transportation and community dental care evaluations for homeless populations, collaborating with iMove CRC, Fremantle Women’s Health Centre, and St Patrick’s Community Support Centre across Western Australia.

She maintains active research networks with collaborators including Gannett, Hooper, Trapp, and Slack-Smith, directing school-wide initiatives while supervising graduate research in population health disciplines.