Julie Leask

Professor Julie Leask is a social scientist and faculty member at the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney. She co-leads the Social and Behavioural Insights research group and serves as a Visiting Professorial Fellow at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance. Her work focuses on vaccination programs, policy, and risk communication, with a particular emphasis on addressing vaccine hesitancy, strengthening community dialogue, and improving health equity.

• Education: Master of Public Health (USYD, 1998), PhD in Public Health (USYD, 2002)
• Key Affiliations: Member of the University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, Affiliate of the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Co-founder of COSSI (Collaboration on Social Science in Immunisation)

Her research integrates psychology, sociology, public health ethics, and implementation science to address critical issues such as low vaccination rates, risk communication during health emergencies, and cultural competence in immunization. She has led initiatives like the Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (SKAI) package and contributed to global frameworks for vaccine safety communication.

Recent articles highlight her work on vaccine hesitancy trends, policy effectiveness, and community-engaged approaches, including studies on Aboriginal health communication and conflict-related vaccination barriers. Her scientific awards include the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence (2019), Supervisor of the Year (2021), and Officer of the Order of Australia (2024).

She supervises PhD candidates such as Maria Christou-Ergos and Belinda Bruce, with interests in infectious disease prevention, health disparities, and vaccine communication. Her current projects include international collaborations via the WHO and research on social determinants of vaccine hesitancy.