Lead Investigator Professor Philip Morgan is Deputy Director of the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His research focuses on the design, evaluation and translation of targeted interventions to promote physical activity and nutrition in men, fathers and children in community, school and workplace settings.
Along with the HYHD program, Professor Morgan has developed and tested a number of award winning community-based health education programs for men including DADEE (Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered), Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids , SHED-IT (Self-Help Exercise and Diet using Information Technology) and Workplace POWER (Preventing Obesity Without Eating like a Rabbit). These gender-tailored interventions have been highly successful and are now being rolled out in national and international translation trials. In 2014, Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids won national awards for ‘Excellence in Obesity Prevention’ and ‘Community Engagement’ and Workplace POWER was awarded an ANPHA National Preventive Health Award in 2013.
Professor Morgan has published more than 240 academic papers and served as an invited expert on multiple government and non-government committees focusing on obesity, physical activity and physical education. His contributions to research, teaching and community service have been recognised with over 30 prestigious academic awards including the Scopus Young Researcher of the Year Award for Australasia and the Australian Award for University Teaching Excellence from the National Office for Learning & Teaching.
As a father of three daughters and coach of multiple junior basketball, touch football and soccer teams, Professor Morgan is very aware of the important role fathers play in their children’s lives. He is a strong advocate for enhancing the father-child bond and wellbeing through physical activity and sport.