About us
We are a team of researchers with backgrounds in sport and exercise psychology, physical activity, exercise physiology, and sport science. We've all gone through our own physical activity journeys, and we understand what it's like to try and be more active. We're looking forward to supporting you on your own physical activity journey.
Meet our team
Professor Christian Swann
Professor Christian Swann is the lead researcher of Open to Move. He is a Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University, where he leads the Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Research (PASER) group. Christian's background is in sport and exercise psychology, and his expertise is in goal setting. His research focuses on how to set goals to increase and maintain physical activity, and he is particularly interested in how different goal setting approaches make us feel while we pursue them — as well as how they influence our mental health. Based in Coffs Harbour (NSW), Christian is forced to get out for two walks a day by his border collie who also insists on playing fetch.
Dr Melanie Clarke
Dr Melanie Clarke (Ph D, Exercise and Rehabilitative Science) is Postdoctoral Research Fellow for Open to Move at Southern Cross University. She has a decade of research experience in cardiovascular exercise physiology and is passionate about using movement to maximise health outcomes. As an avid dog lover, her favourite activity is going to a walk or run with her border collie and golden retriever.
Mr Davide Gargioli
Mr Davide Gargioli (MSc Health and Physical Activity, BSc Sport and Exercise Science) is a PhD student for Open to Move at Southern Cross University. He has studied and worked throughout various European institutions for sport and exercise psychology and physiology. An avid foodie and rugby fan, he enjoys a good matchday barbie.
Professor Stuart Biddle
Professor Stuart Biddle is a research professor in the Centre for Health Research at the University of Southern Queensland. His current research is on sedentary behaviour and physical activity behaviour change, as well as mental health. He is ranked in the top 20 all-time worldwide for career-long citation impact in 'sport sciences' and is a Clarivate Highly Cited researcher. Stuart has been senior author of the book 'Psychology of PhysicalActivity' for over 30 years, with the 4th edition published by Routledge in 2021. He has been involved in the production of physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for Australia, Canada, UK, and WHO. Stuart has an Honorary Doctorate from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and the University of Thessaly, Greece.
A/Prof Amanda Rebar
A/Prof Amanda Rebar (Ph D, Sport and Exercise Psychology) is Associate Professor and Director of the Motivation of Health Behaviors Lab in the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina (USA). Her expertise is in motivation science, with a focus on the automatic influences of physical activity behavior, such as habits and biases. She has expertise in the analysis of change in motivation and behavior over time. As a mom of two boys, she spends most of her time watching them play sports and beating them and her husband in Mario Kart.
Professor Mark Beauchamp
Professor Mark R. Beauchamp, Ph.D., is Professor in the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His research program is concerned with understanding barriers to, and facilitators of, physical activity behaviour across the age spectrum, and developing health-promotion interventions that are effective and sustainable. Mark's research has received funding from agencies such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS), and is Editor for the APA journal ‘Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology’.
A/Prof Trish Jackman
A/Prof Trish Jackman is Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Psychology and Deputy Director of Research in the School of Psychology, Sport Science and Wellbeing at the University of Lincoln, UK. Her research interests include physical activity promotion, ageing, mental health, and loneliness. She is an Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science (Psychology Support) and a Specialist in Applied Sport Psychology (SASP-FEPSAC).
Professor Simon Rosenbaum
Professor Simon Rosenbaum is a Professor in the Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW Sydney. He is an academic exercise physiologist focusing on physical activity and mental health, particularly populations exposed to trauma and social disadvantage. He previously worked with the United Nations International Organisation for Migration as a community-based mental health and psychosocial support officer in the Rohingya refugee cam ps in Bangladesh. He has held visiting academic appointments in Colombia and Italy, and is currently supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leadership Fellowship. Locally, Sim on is the founder of ‘Addi Moves’, a free, trauma-inform ed, exercise facility for people experiencing trauma and social exclusion at the Addison Road Community Organisation in Marrickville, Sydney.
Professor Stewart Vella
Professor Stewart Vella is the Director of the Global Alliance for Mental Health and Sport at the University of Wollongong, Australia. He is a worldwide thought leader in the field of mental health in sport. His mental health programs have been adapted and scaled across the globe. His flagship ‘Ahead of the Game’ program is the official mental fitness program of the Rugby League World Cup 2021. He is the Leader of the Global Alliance for Mental Health and Sport at the University of Wollongong, Australia and a Subject Matter Expert to Movember on mental health in sport.