Sport and Exercise
Sport and Exercise at CQU combines teaching, practical experience, and evidence‑based research to show how movement can improve performance, health, and community wellbeing. Our experts lead impactful studies in areas such as athlete performance, mental skills, sleep, recovery, and participation, helping shape the future of Australian sport.
Our People
Our Sport and Exercise team includes leading researchers, practitioners, and educators dedicated to advancing performance, wellbeing, and movement science. Together, they drive innovative projects that impact athletes, influence sporting organisations, and empower communities across Australia.
- Associate Professor Aaron Scanlan
- Dr Alberto Filgueiras Goncalves
- Dr Cassy Dittman
- Professor Charli Sargent
- Associate Professor Katie de Luca
- Dr Dean Miller
- Professor Fabio Serpiello
- Dr Geoff Warman
- Professor Greg Roach
- Dr Joshua Guy
- Dr Matthew Condie
- Associate Professor Melanie Hayman
- Dr Michele Lastella
- Dr Nathan Elsworthy
- Associate Professor Rob Stanton
- Dr Samantha Fien
- Dr Steph Chappel
- Dr Tash Thorne
- Mr Vincent Dalbo
Our Projects
CQU’s Sport and Exercise research explores real‑world challenges—from elite athlete wellbeing to sport psychology, sleep science, and community sport behaviour. These projects deliver insights that support healthier, more sustainable sporting environments nationwide.
Pregnancy and postpartum in elite sport
Parenting and volunteering
- Rugby parenting intervention boosts sidelines behaviour, family connection
- You’ve been ‘volun-told’ to coach junior sport
Sleep and performance
Sport psychology
- What parents can learn from the Socceroos' mental game
- How discipline and mental toughness paved the Socceroos’ road to the 2026 World Cup
- What makes a champion soccer player? Decoding the elite soccer player’s psychological profile
