Mitch Duncan

Professor Mitch Duncan is a Professor of Public Health in the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His research focuses on understanding how patterns of physical activity and sleep influence health outcomes, and developing digital technology interventions to help people be more physically active and sleep better. Professor Duncan's work is supported by a prestigious NHMRC Career Development Fellowship, and he has published over 170 papers while securing more than $9 million worth of research funding.

Professor Duncan earned his PhD from the University of Central Queensland, a Bachelor of Health & Human Performance (Honors) in Human Movement Science from the University of Central Queensland, and a Master of Medical Statistics from the University of Newcastle. His educational background has provided a strong foundation for his interdisciplinary research approach that bridges physical activity, sleep science, and digital health interventions.

Professor Duncan's research centers on two key areas: (1) understanding how physical activity and sleep work together to influence health outcomes, and (2) developing and testing interventions to improve these behaviors. His unique approach focuses on the combination of these two behaviors rather than examining them separately. Much of his intervention work uses technologies such as mobile devices and the internet to deliver the interventions, including the development of a smartphone app that has been used by over 20,000 people internationally through the 'Balanced' intervention program. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward multi-behavioral interventions that address both physical activity and sleep simultaneously, often leveraging mobile and web-based platforms to deliver personalized interventions at scale.

Professor Duncan has received several prestigious awards for his research, including:

• National Heart Foundation Queensland Researcher of the Year
• Australian Institute of Policy & Science Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award

He also holds a competitive NHMRC Career Development Fellowship, which supports his ongoing research into physical activity and sleep behaviors.

Professor Duncan has been highly successful in securing research funding, with more than $9 million in grants from major organizations including the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Research Council (ARC), National Heart Foundation, and Queensland Government. His research program has involved mentoring numerous students and early-career researchers. Professor Duncan serves on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health and the Journal of Activity, Sedentary and Sleep Behaviors, contributing to the scholarly community in his field.

Professor Duncan leads the development and implementation of evidence-based digital interventions like the 'Balanced' program, which has reached over 20,000 users internationally. His work often involves collaborations with researchers across multiple institutions and disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his research on physical activity, sleep, and health. Current projects include investigations into the impact of breaking up prolonged sitting on sleep architecture, app-based interventions for shift workers, and multi-behavioral approaches to improving postnatal mental health.