Dr Bridie Kean is a Lecturer in Public Health and the Program Lead of the Master of Health Promotion (MHP) program at UniSC. Bridie teaches foundational public health and research courses within the MHP. Bridie’s research explores how to create equitable opportunity to and through sport and physical activity for people with a disability.
Bridie is the Program Lead of the UniSC postgraduate health promotion programs and oversees the Master of Health Promotion and Graduate Certificate in Health Promotion programs. Bridie teaches foundational courses into the program and enjoys working with postgraduate students in the fully online, asynchronous mode of learning.
Bridie is passionate about creating equitable opportunities in sport for people with a disability through research and engagement. Bridie is involved in engagement activities such as Chairing the Sunshine Coast Council Community Reference Group responsible for guiding the Sunshine Coast legacy vision of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is Bridie’s goal in research and practice to ensure all Queenslanders with a disability have better access to sport and physical activity as a result of hosting the 2032 Games.
Bridie’s research explores equity in sport, underpinned by systematic approaches explore the role of the environment in creating equitable opportunities for people with a disability to access sport and physical activity across grassroots and Paralympic sport. Bridie works closely with industry to conduct research to inform equitable opportunities for people with a disability and para-athletes and has conducted research projects with Paralympics Australia, Queensland Academy of Sport, Basketball Australia and UniSport.
Professional Memberships
- Co-Founder and member of leadership group, Queensland Network for Paralympic
Engagement
- Chair, Sunshine Coast council Legacy Plan Community Reference Group. 2021 – Current. The group was formed to inform and guide the identification of the key priorities and opportunities that the region should pursue to ensure it was well positioned to secure the 10+10+ legacy intent of the Games.
- Bridie was a research scholar at Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), where she conducted PhD research focusing on Paralympic sport. She is now a QAS Board member
- Bridie was the Paralympic athlete involved in Brisbane’s successful 2032 Olympic and Paralympic bid. The bid process was an opportunity for Bridie to share her insights into what a 2032 Games legacy can mean for all people with a disability in Queensland. Bridie presented at the Queensland Government Legacy Summit in March 2023 about the importance of inclusion in the 2032 State Government Legacy Plan for the Brisbane 2032
Key research area 1: Advancing health and well-being of people with a disability through inclusive sport
Brief synopsis of the research area
- People with a disability face greater barriers to sports and physical participation than their able-bodied counterparts. This program of research explores barriers, facilitators and opportunities to advance health and well-being of people with a disability through inclusive sporting opportunities.
Key publications
- Verdonck M, Ripat J, Clark PM, Oprescu F, Gray M, Chaffey L, Kean B. Reverse integration in wheelchair basketball: Stakeholders’ understanding in elite and recreational sporting communities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly. 2020 Nov 18;38(1):25-42.
- Kean B, Driver C. Environmental Factors Influencing Early Participation in Para-Sport. In Human Factors and Ergonomics in Sport 2020 Sep 3 (pp. 241-254). CRC Press
This research is aligned to:
- Socio-ecological health and wellbeing
- Add SoH research area/research centres
- Add Broader university research centres/areas
Key research area 2: environmental factors impacting para-athletes
Brief synopsis of the research area
- The Paralympic Games is the third biggest sporting event in the world, with the potential to showcase the abilities of people with disabilities if afforded equitable opportunities to their able-bodied counterparts. This research area explores the role of the environment, utilising ecological and systems approaches, to determine factors affecting Paralympic and para-athletes
Grants
- A Framework for Implementing Adapted Athletics Programs in Australian Universities, Professor Marion Gray (lead), ($124,000), Dr Florin Oprescu (Co-investigator), Professor Brendan Burkett (Co-Investigator), Bridie Kean (PhD Scholar), 2015 – 2017; Funding organisation: Queensland Academy of Sport
- Establishment and progressive refinement of a high-performance student-athlete program at an Australian university: A participatory action research project (SEEDS project) ($124,000). Dr Michele Verdonck (co-lead), Dr Florin Oprescu (co-lead), Professor Marion Gray, Professor Brendan Burkett, Bridie Kean, 2016 – 2019; Funding organisation: Queensland Academy of Sport and Basketball Australia
Key publications
- Kean B, Gray M, Verdonck M, Burkett B, Oprescu F. The impact of the environment on elite wheelchair basketball athletes: a cross-case comparison. Qualitative research in sport, exercise and health. 2017 Aug 8;9(4):485-98.
- McLean S, Read GJ, Ramsay K, Hogarth L, Kean B. Designing success: Applying Cognitive Work Analysis to optimise a para sport system. Applied Ergonomics. 2021 May 1;93:103369.
- MacDonald LA, Oprescu F, Kean BM. An evaluation of the effects of mindfulness training from the perspectives of wheelchair basketball players. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2018 Jul 1;37:188-95.
Current HDR and honours projects
- ‘Paralympic athlete talent transfers – personal and environmental factors’ 2021 – 2024
This research is aligned to:
- Add PH / P&O research area
- Add SoH research area/research centres
- Add Broader university research centres/areas
Key research area 3: Student-athlete health and well-being
Grants
- Understanding the elite student athlete experience. UniSport Australia. Dr David Fleischman, (lead investigator) Dr Bridie Kean ($5,000). 2018. Funding organisation: UniSport Australia …
Key publications
- Kean, B., Fleischman, D., & English, P. (2019). Exploring the Communication of Student-Athlete Pathways as a Transformative Service in Australian Higher Education. International Journal of Sport Communication, 12(1), 1-21.
- English, P., Fleischman, D., Kean, B., Stevenson, T., Broome, K., & Cury, R. (2022). Academic flexibility and support for student-athletes: An Australian perspective on university teaching staff perceptions. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 1-21.
- Fleischman, D., Sotiriadou, P., Mulcahy, R., Kean, B., & Cury, R. L. (2021). The impact of “capitalization” social support services on student-athlete well-being. Journal of Services Marketing.
This research is aligned to:
- Add PH / P&O research area
- Add SoH research area/research centres
- Add Broader university research centres/areas
Expressions of Interest are welcome from prospective Honours, Masters, PhD and Postdoctoral candidates.
Future topics for HDR and honours
- The impact of Paralympic Games on perceived health and well-being of people with a disability
- Inclusive sport in schools to impact health and well-being of students with a physical disability
Research areas
- Advancing health and well-being of people with a disability through inclusive sport
- Environmental factors impacting para-athletes
- Student-athlete health and well-being
Member of School of Health Learning and Teaching Committee, UniSC
Teaching areas
- Public Health Foundations
- Health Research and Evidence
Program coordinator
Dr Bridie Kean's specialist areas of knowledge include public health foundations, and health research and evidence.
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