Rebecca Olive

Dr. Rebecca Olive is a Vice Chancellor Senior Research Fellow at RMIT University’s School of GUSS. Her research focuses on intersections of sport, leisure, environmental humanities, and feminist theory. She explores how recreational activities like swimming and surfing engage with ecological and cultural politics, emphasizing ethical relationships between humans and non-human environments.

Her current fellowship (2022–present) examines urban water bodies’ recreational use, addressing climate resilience and public safety. Previous roles include a lectureship at The University of Queensland (2016–2022) and a postdoctoral fellowship at Waikato University (2014–2016). She holds an ARC DECRA (2019–2022) focused on coastal ecologies and care relationships through surfing.

Rebecca is President of the Cultural Studies Association of Australasia (CSAA) and Victorian Chair of the Australian Coastal Society. Her work bridges academia and public engagement, including podcasts (e.g., Saltwater Library), media contributions (The Conversation, Surfing World), and community initiatives.

Research themes include ocean-human relationships, gender in sport, and reflexive ethnographic methods. She supervises PhD/Masters students and collaborates on projects like ‘Making Friends With the Neighbours’ and ‘Moving Oceans,’ advancing transdisciplinary environmental and social justice agendas.