Contributors

Carlos Ibañez del Rivero

PhD candidate, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University

PhD candidate, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University

Ian A Wright

Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University

Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University I am a science communicator and am employed as an associate professor in Western Sydney University's School of Science. I teach classes in water science and management, environmental planning and environmental regulation across several degree programs. Prior to WSU, I worked as a scientist in the urban water industry, mainly at Sydney Water. My science interests include freshwater ecology, water chemistry and water pollution (science and management). My research interests include urban water issues, contamination from concrete materials and impacts of mining on streams and rivers. I have provided independent expert testimonies for environmental science matters for the NSW Land & Environment Court, and also for mining development proposals being considered through the planning system. I'm an enthusiastic participant in art & science and community engagement activities associated with water and I often provide expert commentary on water issues in the media. I'm fortunate to visit primary and secondary schools, on behalf of the University, to talk to classes about water.

Rowena Naidoo

Associate Professor in Sport Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Associate Professor in Sport Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal Rowena Naidoo is an Associate Professor/biokineticist in the Discipline of Biokinetics, Exercise, and Leisure Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is a Developing Research Innovation, Localisation and Leadership (DRILL) fellow of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. In 2020, Prof Naidoo led the development and writing of two international policy briefs specifically on physical activity and health for children and adolescents during COVID-19 and Beyond. She is also a founding executive member of the International Society of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise. More recently, Prof Naidoo has been appointed as the Partnerships Director for the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) and as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Physical Activity Consultant. Prof Naidoo is currently a “Clean Sport Educator”, part of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, and is the recipient of the World Anti-Doping Association Social Science research grant to develop an innovative anti-doping program for adolescents.

Dawn Tladi

Senior Lecturer of Exercise Physiology, University of Botswana

Senior Lecturer of Exercise Physiology, University of Botswana Dr Dawn Tladi, Senior Lecturer, University of Botswana, department of Sport Science. PhD, Movement Science (Exercise Physiology) from Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA. Teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in exercise science. Research interest: the use of physical activity and exercise interventions as a modality for disease prevention and promotion of healthy living. She has done research in the area of epidemiology of lifestyle diseases and the effects of exercise particularly, the metabolic syndrome among Batswana adults. She is currently involved in physical activity research in various populations and for various purposes in communities. Has done research on the effects of long term HIV/AIDS treatment on cognition, nutrition and physical fitness among adolescents in Botswana. She is currently leading a survey on the physical activity, dietary intake and physical fitness of school going age children in Botswana. With the event of COVID - 19, which brought to a stop of all the physical data collection, she embarked on an online COVID - 19 survey determining the impact of the lockdowns on physical activity, wellness and mental health of Batswana adults. She has quite recently brought down the physical activity research to early childhood in collaboration with the Sunrise international study. She has expertise in the field of exercise testing in general, be it for general fitness, high sports performance or research purposes. She is also an advocate for provision of physical education to all school going age children. She is currently the Botswana report card leader for the Global Matrix 4.0.

Chalchisa Abdeta

PhD candidate, University of Wollongong

PhD candidate, University of Wollongong I'm PhD candidate at Early Start, University of Wollongong, Australia. My research focuses on children's physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep. I am an active member of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) and the AFRO regional representative for the ISPAH Early Career Network. I've been working on physical activity since 2015. My career aspiration is to be a better researcher in early childhood development & health.

Taru Manyanga

Assistant Professor-Physical Therapy, University of Northern British Columbia

Assistant Professor-Physical Therapy, University of Northern British Columbia Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, University of Northern British Columbia and affiliated with the University of British Columbia. Research includes the surveillance of movement behaviors (sleep, sedentary time, physical activity) among healthy and clinical populations, using context-specific measurement instruments, especially in rural/remote and resource-limited settings. Overall goal is to combine clinical physical therapy and epidemiological/population health approaches in developing and implementing lifestyle behavior interventions to promote active healthy living across the life-course. Also interested in global/international comparisons of movement behaviors among children and adolescents.