Bonnie Furzer

Bonnie Furzer is an Associate Professor in the School of Human Sciences (Exercise & Sport Science) at The University of Western Australia (UWA). She holds clinical roles as Senior Exercise Physiologist and Service Lead at Fremantle Hospital Mental Health Service and is Founder/CEO of Thriving in Motion. Her research focuses on integrating exercise into mental health care, particularly for youth and trans/gender diverse populations, and spans over $4.5M in grants including the Medical Research Futures Fund and Healthway grants. Furzer leads the Mental Health & Exercise Group (MHEX) and has pioneered programs like Move Your Mind and Stride, addressing mental health via exercise interventions.

• Affiliations: UWA, Fremantle Hospital, Telethon Kids Institute (Honorary)
• Grants: Includes AUD4.9M for ARCTYC (Trans Youth Research), AUD300K Stan Perron Grant for Youth Moves, and AUD140K Medibank Fund for on-campus mental health exercise programs.

Her research explores exercise’s role in managing mental/physical health for vulnerable groups. Key projects include auditory cued exercise for neurodevelopmental conditions, eating disorder treatment models for trans individuals, and improving sport participation for youth with chronic illnesses. She is a 2022 Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and won multiple awards for practice excellence and inclusivity.

Grants & Awards:

• Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2022)
• AUSActive National Award (2024)
• ESSA Practice of the Year (2020)

Teaching: Specializes in Clinical Exercise Physiology at postgraduate level, emphasizing chronic conditions, neurological rehab, and evidence-based practice. She mentors students pursuing allied health accreditation.

Labs/Teams: Leads the MHEX Group and collaborates with UNSW on trans health research. Her work contributes to UN SDGs related to health equity and well-being.