Amy Peden

Dr. Amy Peden is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales' School of Population Health within the Faculty of Medicine & Health. She is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in drowning prevention research and advocacy, with a strong focus on improving data collection methods for accurate global estimates of fatal and non-fatal drowning. Dr. Peden convenes PHCM9792 - Injury Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, and maintains adjunct appointments with Royal Life Saving Society - Australia, James Cook University, the George Institute for Global Health, and the Health and Psychology Innovations (HaPI) lab at Griffith University. She is also a co-founder of the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts (Government and International Relations, Social Policy), Master of Public Policy, and PhD (Health). Dr. Peden's research emphasizes equity issues, particularly injury risk among rural and remote communities and people from low socio-economic backgrounds. Her work focuses on translating research into action through public education, awareness campaigns, and policy change.

Dr. Peden's scholarly output demonstrates a strong emphasis on drowning prevention across various contexts - from childhood safety to climate change impacts. Her research spans epidemiological studies, intervention evaluations, and qualitative explorations of community-specific risks. A notable trend in her recent work is the growing attention to social determinants of health and equity considerations in drowning prevention, reflecting her commitment to inclusive approaches that address disparities in drowning risk.

• Safety Young Investigator Award (2020)
• CAPHIA Award for PhD Excellence in Public Health (2020)
• Dean's Award for Higher Degree by Research Excellence (2020)
• Sax Institute Research Action Award Winner (2019)
• International Drowning Researchers Alliance Young Researcher of the Year (2019)
• Multiple International Safety Media Awards (2017-2018)
• International Life Saving Federation Citation of Merit (2011)

Dr. Peden actively supervises PhD candidates including William Koon, Nicholas Mulcahy, and Samuel Cornell, with research focusing on ocean rescue, surf-related trauma, drowning prevention in New Zealand, and water safety at aquatic Instagram hotspots. She has secured multiple research grants totaling over $170,000 from organizations including the Wishlist Foundation, Emergency Medicine Foundation, and Royal Life Saving Society - Australia. Her media engagement is extensive, with regular appearances in outlets such as ABC Radio, The Conversation, Sydney Morning Herald, and Science Daily, where she discusses drowning prevention, adolescent safety, and public health policy implications.

Dr. Peden leads the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group and collaborates across multiple institutions through her adjunct appointments. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications through partnerships with organizations like Royal Life Saving Society - Australia, ensuring that evidence-based approaches inform real-world drowning prevention strategies.