Leah Roberts

Leah Roberts is a Researcher at the School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia (UWA), with a casual teaching role. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Bachelor of Arts Honours (H1) in Political Science. Her research focuses on public health policy, vaccine mandates, and healthcare access, particularly in the context of Australia's response to the pandemic. She contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to public health and equitable healthcare access.

Education: Political Science (Bachelor of Arts Honours H1), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Research Interests: Leah’s work examines drivers of vaccine hesitancy, comorbidity-related healthcare challenges, and the societal impacts of public health policies. She has published extensively on topics like medicinal cannabis for anxiety disorders, vaccine mandate attitudes, and pandemic preparedness strategies. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges epidemiology, behavioral science, and policy analysis.

Scientific Awards: Commendation Award in Research Impact and Innovation (2022) for contributions to public health policy.

Impacts: Her research influenced Australia’s pandemic response policies, including vaccine mandate reviews and no-fault compensation frameworks. She has advised on vaccination strategies for healthcare workers and university populations.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on projects like Coronavax, focusing on community and government preparedness for vaccination campaigns.