Dan is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and a Postdoctoral Fellow at Manna Institute for rural and regional mental health, where his research is grounded in the healthy ageing of older adults and wellbeing across the lifespan. Throughout his research, he has worked to promote accessible physical activity in older adults, incorporating social connection and creative practice through a multi-disciplinary, mixed-methods approach. He holds a particular interest in the health and wellbeing of older adults in rural and regional areas, and in the co-creation of accessible and appropriate supports and services in such settings; this approach extends to supporting healthy lifestyle behaviours of young adults.
Dr Wadsworth currently leads the Manna Institute Health and Wellbeing in Later Life research stream, and the Manna Institute HDR Student Community of Practice, connecting and supporting rural and regional postgraduate students across Australia. He further co-leads the Early- and Mid-Career Academic Network at UniSC, planning and delivering training, mentorship, and development opportunities and resources to >180 members, engaging with University Executive and national policymakers (Regional Universities Network). His leadership roles at UniSC extend to School of Health research themes in Active Ageing; Mental Health in rural, regional, and remote communities; and Creativity and Connectedness in Healthy Ageing.
Dan’s ongoing work with rural and regional communities has been profiled across national media, including:
- Giving back to the community important in healthy ageing
- Country universities champion local charity research
- All aboard the Kilkivan
In 2021/22, Dr Wadsworth was Australian-lead author on a series of high-impact multinational papers exploring the health and wellbeing implications of COVID-19 and associated movement restrictions, informing international public health policy (Switzerland):
- Physical activity, mental health and wellbeing of adults during initial COVID-19 containment strategies: A multi-country cross-sectional analysis
- Physical Activity, Mental Health and Wellbeing of Adults within and during the Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand
Dr Wadsworth has worked with researchers and clinicians to develop local health policy:
Dan’s co-authored textbook for allied health practitioners was nationally awarded at the 2022 Australian Educational Publishing Awards as Outstanding Tertiary / VET textbook:
In 2023, Dr Wadsworth’s work was recognised with research excellence awards:
- UniSC School of Health Research Excellence Award: Outstanding Early or Mid-Career Researcher
- UniSC Vice Chancellor & President’s Award for Excellence in Research Impact
Professional memberships
- Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG)
- Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association (ANZMH)
- Sunshine Coast Health Institute (SCHI)
Awards and fellowships
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute (2022-2024)
- UniSC School of Health Research Excellence Award: Outstanding Early or Mid-Career Researcher (2023)
- UniSC Vice Chancellor & President’s Award for Excellence in Research Impact (2023)
- Senior Fellow, UK Higher Education Academy (2022)
- Outstanding Winner; Winner, Teaching and Learning Resource – Print or Blended Learning (Adaptations) - Australian Educational Publishing Awards (2022)
- Massey University College of Health Teaching Excellence Award (2015)
Professional social media
Potential research projects for HDR and Honours students
- Healthy ageing and wellbeing
- Regional health and wellbeing
- Creativity and movement for healthy ageing
- Tertiary health education
Research grants
| Project name | Investigators | Funding body | Year(s) | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UniSC School of Health seed grants |
Gallo, Askew, Jona, Metse, Wright, Wadsworth, Scott
|
University of the Sunshine Coast $10,000 |
2023 |
Cardiovascular risk in young adults: informing a co-designed lifestyle intervention through learning management platforms |
|
UniSC Connect Grant |
Wadsworth, Schaumberg, Askew, Stoner, Rose
|
University of the Sunshine Coast $12,600 |
2023 |
Building research capacity at UniSC to address the challenges of inactivity and ageing |
|
UniSC Connect Grant |
Askew, Wadsworth, Schaumberg, Walker, Kriel
|
University of the Sunshine Coast $20,363 |
2023 |
Targeting healthy ageing through novel approaches to the assessment and optimisation of human vascular function |
|
Sunshine Coast Regional Partnership Agreement |
Wadsworth, Tulloch, Gurung, Craswell, Sunshine Coast Council, Suncare Ltd |
Sunshine Coast Council $26,818
|
2023 |
I-CHAt: an Intergenerational Community Homeshare Activity for Older Adults and University Students on the Sunshine Coast. |
|
UniSC Grow Grant |
Schaumberg, Buhmann, Jenkins, Rose, Maugham-Macan, Walker, Villani, Wright, Broadbent, Slater, Askew, Wadsworth |
University of the Sunshine Coast $283,393 |
2023 |
Assessing musculoskeletal health as an essential determinant of physical function, health, and disease |
|
UniSC Grow Grant |
Dermody, Shibl, Ward, Wadsworth, Verdonk, Davies, Tulloch, Russell, Wright, Askew |
University of the Sunshine Coast $46,685 |
2023 |
Empowering Healthy Ageing: Building a Web-based Gateway for Holistic Well-being |
|
UniSC GROW Equipment Internal Grants |
Askew, Walker, Kriel, Wadsworth, Schaumberg, Wright, Gallo, Russell, Summers, Jones, Jenkins |
University of the Sunshine Coast $291,128 |
2022 |
Growing Cardiovascular Health Research at UniSC: Mobile cardiovascular assessment suite |
|
UniSC GROW Equipment Internal Grants |
Scott, Metse, Schaumberg, Askew, Goos, Thomas, Wadsworth |
University of the Sunshine Coast $49,907 |
2022 |
Building capacity for innovative cross-disciplinary approaches to physical activity and movement assessment in health and education research at UniSC |
|
UniSC Launch Partnership Grants |
Ward, Wadsworth, Goold, LendLease Australia |
University of the Sunshine Coast $29,662 |
2022 |
Enlivening retirement communities through co-designed event and entertainment production |
|
UniSC Launch Partnership Grants |
Wadsworth, King, Barclay, Comlink Australia |
University of the Sunshine Coast $24,655 |
2022 |
Creativity and movement in ageing communities: Enhancing wellbeing through friendship, art, and exercise |
|
UniSC Launch Partnership Grants |
Andrews, Wadsworth, Schaumberg, Rosenburg, Medland, Kilkivan Community Group |
University of the Sunshine Coast $27,177 |
2022 |
Dementia risk reduction in Kilkivan: Identifying needs and co-design of an effective lifestyle intervention approach |
|
UniSC Launch Partnership Grants |
Wadsworth, Tulloch, Schaumberg, Cash (CSU), Robson (CSU), EVERYMIND |
University of the Sunshine Coast $20,947 |
2022 |
Learning from lived experience: what does mental health, wellbeing, and support mean to older adults in rural and regional Australia? |
|
Manna Institute for Rural, Regional and Remote Mental Health |
Wadsworth |
Manna Institute 0.4FTE for 24 months |
2022 |
Post-Doctoral Fellow |
|
Industry Funding |
Ward, Schaumberg, Wadsworth, Craswell, Askew, Dermody, Goold, Luttrell, Banks |
LendLease PLC $55,000 |
2022 |
Creative conversations: Codesigning approaches to explore the future of retirement living in Australia |
|
UniSC School of Business and Creative Industries 2022 Research Potential Fund (RPF) |
King, Wadsworth, Barclay |
University of the Sunshine Coast $7,000 |
2021 |
Creative Friendships in Aged Care: Enhancing well-being through friendship, art and exercise |
|
Regional Partnership Grant |
Schaumberg, Craven, Askew, Wadsworth (UniSC), Szabo (Sunshine Coast Council) |
University of the Sunshine Coast / Sunshine Coast Council $29,300 |
2020 |
Evaluation of the Healthy Sunshine Coast Senior Program |
Research areas
- Supporting the healthy ageing of older adults through accessible physical activity, social connection, and creative practice
- Health and wellbeing across the lifespan
- Rural and regional health and wellbeing
Teaching areas
- Applied Science (undergraduate)
- Postgraduate research methods
Dan Wadsworth’s specialist areas of knowledge are healthy ageing, accessible physical activity, health and wellbeing, tertiary health education.