Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Health-enhancing physical activity
  • Research translation
  • Preventive health care

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Melinda Craike

Melinda is Professor of Physical Activity and Health in the Institute for Health and Sport and Director, Pathways in Place in the Mitchell Institute.

Melinda is an internationally recognised researcher with over 20 years’ research experience. Her research crosses disciplinary and institutional boundaries to address complex issues relating to health, education, and disadvantage. She has a strong focus on knowledge translation and aims to produce quality research evidence that is actionable in practice and policy. Her work has advanced scientific knowledge and impacted on policy and practice in a range of areas, most notably in the area of physical activity behaviour change. Along with advancing theory and knowledge, her work has informed national and international policy, local government strategy, national programs, peak organisation position papers, and international practice guidelines.

Melinda is the Director of Pathways in Place: Co-Creating Community Capabilities, a 5-year, $11 million research program funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation. Pathways in Place is jointly led by Victoria University and Griffith University and focuses on two life stages: early childhood development pathways into school (led by Griffith University) and youth pathways from school into education and/or employment (led by Victoria University). Working closely with two partner communities, Logan (Queensland, Australia) and Brimbank (Victoria, Australia), using a place-based, systems change approach, Pathways in Place seeks transformative and sustainable change, beyond research production.

Qualifications

  • PhD, Griffith University, Australia, 2005
  • BA(Leis Mgment)(Hons), Griffith University, Australia, 1999

Key publications

Year Citation
2018 Craike, M., Wiesner, G., Hilland, T. A., & Bengoechea, E. G. (180515). Interventions to improve physical activity among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups: An umbrella review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15(1),

doi: 10.1186/s12966-018-0676-2

2018 Bennie, J. A., Wiesner, G. H., van, Uffelen., Harvey, J. T., Craike, M. J., & Biddle, S. JH. (180401). Assessment and monitoring practices of Australian fitness professionals. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21(4), (433-438).

doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2017.07.010

2017 Gaskin, C. J., Craike, M., Mohebbi, M., Courneya, K. S., & Livingston, P. M. (170501). A clinician referral and 12-week exercise training program for men with prostate cancer: Outcomes to 12 months of the engage cluster randomized controlled trial. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 14(5), (353-359).

doi: 10.1123/jpah.2016-0431

2017 Craike, M. J., Mosely, K., Browne, J. L., Pouwer, F., & Speight, J. (170301). Associations between physical activity and depressive symptoms by weight status among adults with type 2 diabetes: Results from diabetes miles-Australia. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 14(3), (195-202).

doi: 10.1123/jpah.2016-0196

2017 Craike, M., Hill, B., Gaskin, C. J., & Skouteris, H. (170301). Interventions to improve physical activity during pregnancy: a systematic review on issues of internal and external validity using the RE-AIM framework. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 124(4), (573-583).

doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.14276

2016 Craike, M., Young, J. A., Symons, C. M., Pain, M. D., Harvey, J. T., Eime, R. M., & Payne, W. R. (161108). Trends in body image of adolescent females in metropolitan and non-metropolitan regions: a longitudinal study. BMC Public Health, 16(1), (1-9).

doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3815-1

2016 Gaskin, C. J., Craike, M., Mohebbi, M., Salmon, J., Courneya, K. S., Broadbent, S., & Livingston, P. M. (160901). Associations of objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior with quality of life and psychological well-being in prostate cancer survivors. Cancer Causes and Control, 27(9), (1093-1103).

doi: 10.1007/s10552-016-0787-5

2016 Craike, M., Gaskin, C. J., Courneya, K. S., Fraser, S. F., Salmon, J., Owen, P. J., Broadbent, S., & Livingston, P. M. (160501). Predictors of adherence to a 12-week exercise program among men treated for prostate cancer: ENGAGE study. Cancer Medicine, 5(5), (787-794).

doi: 10.1002/cam4.639

2016 Eime, R. M., Harvey, J. T., Sawyer, N. A., Craike, M. J., Symons, C. M., & Payne, W. R. (160101). Changes in sport and physical activity participation for adolescent females: a longitudinal study. BMC Public Health, 16(1), (1-7).

doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3203-x

2015 Livingston, P. M., Craike, M. J., Salmon, J., Courneya, K. S., Gaskin, C. J., Fraser, S. F., Mohebbi, M., Broadbent, S., Botti, M., & Kent, B. (150801). Effects of a clinician referral and exercise program for men who have completed active treatment for prostate cancer: A multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial (ENGAGE). Cancer, 121(15), (2646-2654).

doi: 10.1002/cncr.29385

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Hume Community Resource Mapping – Targeted Analysis
From: Victoria University, Hume City Council
Other investigators: Dr Bojana Klepac pogrmilovic, Miss Tea O'driscoll, Ms Amy Mowle
For period: 2023-2023
Not disclosed

Baseline data set for Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre – Round 2
From: Brimbank City Council
Other investigators: Dr Kara Dadswell
For period: 2022-2022
Not disclosed
Mapping Community Assets in Hume
From: Hume City Council, VU in the Community
Other investigators: Dr Bojana Klepac pogrmilovic, Ms Amy Mowle
For period: 2022-2022
Not disclosed

Co-Creating Community Change to Break Cycles of Disadvantage
From: Paul Ramsay Foundation
Other investigators: Prof Peter Dawkins, Ms Jennifer Jackson
For period: 2020-2025
$5,500,000
'Making a Difference': Assessing the Evidence Base to Support Sports Recovery Project of the Australian Sports Foundation
From: Australian Sports Foundation Limited
Other investigators: Dr Bojana Klepac pogrmilovic, Prof Clare Hanlon, Mr John Cooney
For period: 2020-2020
Not disclosed
Baseline Dataset for St Albans Health and Wellbeing Hub
From: Brimbank City Council
Other investigators: Dr Kara Dadswell, Ms Rosemary Calder
For period: 2020-2020
Not disclosed
Feasibility Study of a Brief, Nuse-Led Behaviour Change Intervention to Increase Physical Activity for Prostate Cancer Survivors Living in Disadvantaged Communities
From: World Cancer Research Fund International
Other investigators: Prof Alexandra Parker
For period: 2020-2021
$59,776

Headspace 'Decks' (Interactive Self-directed and Automated Intervention Options): Development of Content and Evaluation Framework
From: Headspace - National Youth Mental Health Foundation Ltd
Other investigators: Prof Alexandra Parker
For period: 2019-2020
Not disclosed

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
1 PhD Integrated Associate supervisor
1 PhD Associate supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD Integrated (1) Associate supervisor
PhD (1) Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Associate supervisor
2 PhD Principal supervisor
1 PhD by Publication Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Associate supervisor
PhD (2) Principal supervisor
PhD by Publication (1) Associate supervisor

Other supervision of research students

Completed supervisions: One PhD student (co-supervisor), seven Honours students, and one Masters by Research student

Teaching activities & experience

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jan 2018 - Present
Associate Professor of Physical Activity and Health
Victoria University
Jul 2018 - Feb 2019
Principal Research Fellow
Victoria University
Feb 2017 - Feb 2019
Physical Activity Lead, Growing Brimbank Program
Victoria University
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jan 2018 -
Present
Associate Professor of Physical Activity and Health
Victoria University
Jul 2018 -
Feb 2019
Principal Research Fellow
Victoria University
Feb 2017 -
Feb 2019
Physical Activity Lead, Growing Brimbank Program
Victoria University

Media appearances

27th November 2018

Millions missing out on Medicare funded treatments

Story appeared in the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph (Sydney), Hobart Mercury, Courier Mail (Brisbane), and Perth Now (website) and the Australian Doctor.