Background
Megan is Deputy Program Director (Behaviours and Health Risks) at Burnet Institute and leads the Young People's Health research group. Her primary area of interest is understanding how digital media impact on public health. She has led trials using these technologies (e.g. mobile phones, smartphone apps, and social media) for health promotion and behaviour change. She has conducted mixed methods research into the impact of digital media on young people's health and wellbeing.
Megan works with young people to centre their experiences and expertise in their own lives. Her work spans many health topics, including sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and other drug use, mental health and wellbeing, nutrition, and infectious diseases. She uses epidemiological methods, qualitative research, co-design, and health promotion research. Megan completed her PhD in 2008, with a thesis titled ‘Sex, Drugs, and Young People: Novel Research and Health Promotion Approaches'.
She was then awarded an NHMRC Sidney Sax Fellowship to complete her postdoctoral research in infectious disease epidemiology at the University College London Research Department of Infection and Population Health.
Qualifications
- 2008: PhD, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- 2003: Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons), Monash University, Australia
Appointments
- Deputy Program Director (Behaviours and Health Risks), Burnet Institute
- Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
- Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Global and Population Health, University of Melbourne