DrKate Lycett

Kate is a Senior Research Fellow within Deakin Lifespan Institute, where she co-leads the Wellbeing and Future Generations Lab. She has a background in psychology and epidemiology, with her research focused on promoting sustainable and equitable wellbeing for people and the planet.

Dr Lycett leads two national projects focused on wellbeing: the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index and the Future Healthy Countdown 2030. She is also a co-lead within one of four streams at The Evidence Exchange, a joint initiative by VicHealth and Deakin University to redesign how business and the economy shape health and wellbeing.

Her interdisciplinary expertise spans subjective wellbeing, wellbeing economies, mental health, lifecourse epidemiology, children and young people, public health, planetary health, air pollution and public policy.

Dr Lycett has been awarded over $15M in research funding. As of 2026, she has authored close to 100 publications (85 peer-reviewed; h-Index 24 (Socpus)), three book chapters, five industry reports and eight articles in The Conversation.

She is a core member of both the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition and the National Conservation Lab, where she collaborates with government and civil society. She regularly appears in the media as an expert on Australians’ wellbeing, with multiple annual appearances across radio, newspaper and TV (~6M to 12M views per year).

In 2024 she was awarded the Victorian Young Tall Poppy of the Year by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science. This accolade highlights her commitment to making research accessible and driving evidence-based decisions to build a more sustainable and equitable future.