Scott Hanson-Easey

Dr Scott Hanson-Easey

Senior Lecturer

School of Public Health

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I am a senior lecturer in the School of Public Health with cross-cutting interests in how diverse communities make sense of and respond to health risks, including those posed by anthropogenic climate change. My research aims to inform government and non-government health promotion strategy and interventions. I work in a multi-disciplinary academic environment and publish broadly with colleagues in fields including epidemiology, geography, disaster management, health promotion, science communication, psychology, occupational and environmental health, and social policy. My most recent research focuses on how risk communication efforts could better address cultural, economic, social, structural, and discursive factors operating in different settings.

I have expertise in qualitative and quantitative social scientific research. Underpinned by strength-based and participatory approaches, this research collaborates with diverse communities and stakeholders on issues of concern, privileging their understandings and experiences of health and social phenomena, positioning these perspectives at the center of research methodology and practice.

I work with and consult for emergency management agencies, such as the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the SA State Emergency Service (SES) and provide advice on emergency management communication to The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR), and agencies such as the Royal Life Saving Association Australia. I also have a background in research that explores issues of race and prejudice from a social psychological vantage point.

I have published over 65 academic articles, reports for industry, and book chapters. My research has been published in peer reviewed academic journals including, Science Communication, Discourse and Society, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, International Journal of Drug Policy, Journal of Sociolinguistics, Qualitative Health Research, and Psychology and Health. I have recently contributed a chapter, with Professor Martha Augoustinos, to Collecting Qualitative Data: A Practical Guide to Textual, Media and Virtual Techniques, edited by Victoria Clarke and Virginia Braun.

My research interests are in health and natural hazards risk perception and communication. Recent research is aimed at better understanding and enhancing the process of natural disaster and emergency risk communication between emergency management (EM), health agencies, and the public. I am interested in how risk communication efforts could better address cultural, social, economic, and discursive contexts in which people live. To this end, my work utilises a social justice perspective, community-based participatory research (CBPR) paradigm, bringing together community, government and community service organisations to co-design risk messages that reflect and resonate with people's 'lived experiences'. I work closely with EM stakeholders and diverse communities, including Australians with a refugee background and those living with social and economic challenges. My conviction is that the efficacy of natural hazards risk communication is significantly enhanced when communities have a genuine and meaningful opportunity to contribute to the development of interventions.   

  • Bi P, Guo Y, Jay O, Bambrick H, Chu C, Capon T, Parton K, Dupre K, Zuo J, Zander K, Bone A, Lambert G, Hanson-Easey S, Nairn J, Mooney C, Anikeeva, O, Ward T, Varghese B, Prescott V, Pisaniello D, Thomas T, Humphrey K, Beaty M, Brearley M, Tong M, Borg M, Caddy-Retalic S, Broome R, Muscatello D. Building resilience to the impacts of heatwaves in Australia Consortium. Natural Hazard Research Australia 2024-2026; $1.18M
  • Cwth Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Climate change and the health of the ageing population: Developing a heatwave early warning system in China using the Australian-developed Excess Heat Factor, $260,000
  • SA - Department for Environment and Water, Developing resources with CALD communities to enhance connection to green space, $128,605
  • ABLE, The University of Adelaide Beyond Climate Anxiety
  • National Health and Medical Research Council, Personalised nutrition to revolutionise gestational diabetes prevention, $854,008
  • Nature Foundation of SA, Knowing what works: A critical social psychological inquiry into how Nature Foundation's work resonates with potential and current supporters., $12,100
  • Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, Increasing the understanding of skin absorption of chemicals in hot environments: establishing an evidence base for existing firefighting work practices, $52,187
  • SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission, NDRP 1517-28 - Communicating extreme heat project, $223,491
  • Australian Research Council, Occupational injury prevention in high temperature environments, $295,156
  • Attorney General's Department (Australian Government), National Extreme Heat Warnings: Investigating regional temperature triggers and responses, $170,000
  • Attorney General's Department (Australian Government), Developing bushfire and heatwave information resources with CALD communities, $145,000
  • Australian Government Department of Environment, Climate Change Adaption Research Network (Vulnerable communities including human health), $375,000

Program Director: Postgraduate Programs in Public Health

Course Coordinator: Reflect, Research, and Resolve Questions in Health

Course Coordinator: Qualitative Research Methods in Health

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2025 Co-Supervisor Climate Adaptation in Indonesian Industrial Estate Development Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Raisa Savitri Ramadhani
    2024 Co-Supervisor Climate variability and selected infectious diseases in Australia: Risk Assessment and future burden projection Master of Philosophy (Public Health) Master Full Time Miss Christina Mary Varghese
    2024 Principal Supervisor Sexual and gender based violence against people of refugee background Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Courtney Bishop
    2021 Co-Supervisor Reframing the role of nutrition in Australia’s food relief sector. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Tjing Shaeny Dian Chandra

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Decent exposure? Decision makers influence nature connection by shaping the urban landscape Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Celeste Kylie Hill
    2018 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Climate Change and Childhood Diarrhoea in Kathmandu, Nepal: A Health Risk Assessment and Exploration of Surveillance Capacity Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Dinesh Bhandari
    2016 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Negotiating the Social Consequences of Stopping or Reducing Alcohol Consumption Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Ashlea Jade Bartram
    2014 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Health Professionals' Perceptions of Dengue Fever, Malaria and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome in the Face of Climate Change in China Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Michael Tong

  • Community Engagement
    Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
    2016 - 2019 Australian Refugee Association Public Community Engagement Australian Refugee Association Australia

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2024 - ongoing Associate Editor Health Promotion Journal of Australia Health Promotion Journal of Australia Australia

  • Presentation
    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2023 - 2023 Pathophysiology of extreme heat Planetary Health workshop The University of Adelaide Australia
  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Phone: 83130160
  • Email: scott.hanson-easey@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83136885
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Rundle Mall Plaza, floor 4
  • Org Unit: Public Health
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