Dana Young

Dana Young is an early-career Research Fellow and PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne's Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, within the Gender & Women's Health Unit at the Nossal Institute for Global Health. Her research focuses on the intersection of migration, sport, and health equity, employing mixed-methods approaches to explore how community-based interventions can reduce health disparities. Dana holds a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Human Nutrition, and has conducted impactful work such as the STARS anti-racism initiative in sport.

Her doctoral project examines how sports participation among migrant women and adolescent girls in Melbourne fosters social capital through diverse social interactions. Key areas of interest include migration research, the sociology of sport, and applying an intersectional lens to advocate for gender equity in sports. Dana is supported by an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship and collaborates with supervisors Associate Professor Karen Block and Professor Lisa Gibbs.

Her research outputs span evaluations of interventions like Count Me In (promoting migrant youth inclusion through sports) and the Black Rhinos UBUNTU Anti-Racism program. Dana's work emphasizes culturally competent service design, with contributions to child health promotion (e.g., Kitchen Garden Program evaluation) and disability service improvements. Her projects often involve participatory approaches to ensure community voices shape policy and practice.

• Education: Master of Public Health, Bachelor of Human Nutrition
• Awards: NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
• Key Projects: STARS anti-racism initiative, Teeth Tales oral health promotion, Jamie’s Ministry of Food evaluation