Kate Hunt

Professor Kate Hunt is a Professor in Behavioural Sciences and Health at the University of Stirling, working within the Institute for Social Marketing and Health. She joined the University in 2018 after many years at the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow.

Her educational background includes:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Sciences from the University of Oxford
• Master's degree from Oxford focusing on Use and Effects of hormone replacement therapy
• PhD from the University of Glasgow on Gender and Health

Professor Hunt's research spans multiple interconnected domains with a strong focus on addressing health inequalities through innovative interventions. Her work has evolved from early research on women's health to a broader exploration of gender and health, with particular emphasis on men's health and masculinities. She has pioneered culturally-sensitized interventions delivered through professional sports clubs to engage hard-to-reach populations in healthy weight management, physical activity, and gambling harm prevention. Her prison health research examines the implementation and impacts of smoke-free policies in correctional settings. During the pandemic, she expanded her work to include studies on gambling behaviors among sports bettors and young people, long Covid experiences, vaccination attitudes, and infection risk management at sporting mega-events.

Her research demonstrates consistent methodological rigor in evaluating public health interventions and policy changes, with particular expertise in community-based participatory approaches.

Awards and recognitions:

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
• President of the UK Society for Social Medicine and Population Health (2020-2021)

Professor Hunt has held significant leadership roles in the research community, serving on multiple UK funding boards including the MRC Population and Systems Medicine Board, NIHR Public Health Research funding board, and MRC Population Health Intervention Development Scheme. She currently chairs CSO's Health Improvement, Protection and Services Committee (2022-present) and was previously a Trustee for the Foundation for Medical Sociology.

She maintains active research collaborations through her honorary professorships at the University of Glasgow and Curtin University in Australia, extending her influence in global public health research.