ProfessorJo Salmon

Deakin Distinguished Professor Salmon is a globally recognised expert in the field of physical activity and sedentary behaviour, with more than 30 years research experience. She is currently funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Level 3 Investigator Grant (APP 2034498). She has been listed as one of the world’s top 1% of researchers for nine consecutive years (Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher 2015 and 2016; Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher 2017-2023).

With a disciplinary background in behavioural epidemiology, her primary research focuses on developing and testing the effectiveness of interventions to reduce children’s sedentary behaviours and promote physical activity.

She has been a Chief Investigator on more than 37 nationally competitive grants totalling $27.09 million and 13 international funded projects worth ~$9,93 million. Professor Salmon has previously been supported by a Principal Research Fellowship (National Health and Medical Research Council), a Career Development Award (National Heart Foundation of Australia), and a VicHealth Public Health Research Fellowship.

She has supervised 35 PhD students and 13 postdoctoral fellows. Her research has been published extensively, with more than 500 publications. 

Professor Salmon developed TransformUs – a world-first program to promote children’s physical activity and reduce prolonged sitting in school classrooms. TransformUs is currently reaching over 950 schools across Australia.

For more detail about Professor Salmon’s research interests, please see the ‘My research’ tab.

Professor Salmon is the founding member, Director and past President of the Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity. She also played a key role in development of movement guidelines for youth in Australia (2004; 2008; 2014). She is a past President and Fellow of the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity; and in 2017 was a Member of the Strategic Advisory Network for the Development of the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, World Health Organisation (WHO).