Dr Alison Carver is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research (C-PAN) within the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. She is an active researcher of children’s active transport and physical activity, and of how the built environment may influence these behaviours. She is currently supported by a National Heart Foundation of Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship and was previously an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Fellow.
Dr Carver’s PhD research at Deakin examined how neighbourhood safety was related to physical activity among children and adolescents, with particular emphasis on road safety, concern about strangers, perception of risk and subsequent restriction/modification of children’s physical activity in the neighbourhood. Her ongoing research examines social and physical environmental factors that may influence children’s active transport and independent mobility (i.e. their freedom to move around without adult accompaniment) in urban and rural areas. She is interested in the application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology to examine the built environment in relation to children’s active transport and independent mobility.
Awards and prizes
2008 Neil Archbold Memorial Travel Award and Medal (Humanities/Social Sciences)
2006 National Heart Foundation of Australia Travel Grant
2005 Ron Shepherd Memorial Research Prize (First Equal)
Memberships
International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Australasian Epidemiology Society
Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine
Service to the University, discipline or community
Dr Carver was a Member of the Local Organising Committee, 2011 Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA), Melbourne.
She was a member of the Key Advisory Committee for Kinect Australia “Go for your Life” Information Centre (2009-10).
She is a member of the Safe Speed Interest Group, facilitated by the National Heart Foundation of Australia (Victorian Division).
Dr Carver has reviewed grants for the Health Research Board, Ireland, 2010, and for Healthways, WA, 2009 and conference abstracts for ISBNPA 2011, 2009 and the Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine (ASBHM) 2009.
She reviews manuscripts for the following journals: BMC Health, Preventive Medicine, Journal of Physical Activity & Health, Journal of Urban Health, International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Sports Medicine, Children Youth and Environments.
Conferences
Carver A, Hesketh K, Timperio A, Crawford D. 2011. ‘How does active transport contribute to physical activity across adolescence?’ Tenth Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Melbourne, Australia.
Carver A, Hesketh K, Crawford D. 2010. ‘How does active transport contribute to adolescents’ physical activity over time?’ Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Epidemiology Society, Sydney, Australia.
Carver A, Timperio A, Hesketh K, Crawford D. 2010. ‘Can safety-related features of the road environment stem declines in physical activity among youth?’ Scientific Conference of the Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine, Brisbane, Australia.
Carver A, Timperio A, Hesketh K, Crawford D. 2009. ‘A longitudinal study of associations between the local road environment and physical activity among youth.’ National Physical Activity Conference, Brisbane, Australia.
Carver A, Timperio A, Crawford D. 2007. ‘How do perceptions and objective measures of neighbourhood safety influence adolescents’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity?’ Sixth Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Oslo, Norway.
Carver A, Timperio A, Crawford D. 2006. ‘How does road safety influence adolescents’ walking/cycling in the neighborhood.’ Fifth Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Boston, USA.
Carver A, Timperio A, Salmon J, Ball, K, Crawford D. 2005. ‘How does objectively-measured road safety influence active transport among adolescents?’ National Physical Activity Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Carver A, Salmon J, Campbell K, Baur L, Garnett S, Crawford D. 2005. ‘How do perceptions of local neighbourhood relate to adolescents’ walking and cycling?’ Scientific Conference of the Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine, Melbourne, Australia.
Carver A, Salmon J, Crawford, D, Campbell K, Garnett S, Shrewsbury V, Cowell, C, Baur L. 2004. ‘Associations between perceptions of the neighborhood and adolescents’ walking, cycling and total physical activity: the Nepean cohort study.’ International Congress of Behavioural Medicine (ICBM), Mainz, Germany.
