Thematic Leaders
Leisure and the Fulfillment of Human Rights Thematic Co-Leader
Associate Professor Jorge Dorfman Knijnik
J.Knijnik@westernsydney.edu.au
Jorge’s current research develops procedures that offer clear evidence to industry and governments on where to focus their expenditures to increase youth wellbeing and educational outcomes. His work promotes theoretical and practical approaches to the intersections of educational results, gender equity, social cohesion, social activism and leisure participation.
Leisure and the Fulfillment of Human Rights Thematic Co-Leader
Dr Hazel Maxwell
H.Maxwell@westernsydney.edu.au
Hazel’s research and teaching focuses on leisure, physical activity, community sport, social inclusion and diversity management.
Leisure, Health, and Place Thematic Co-Leader
Professor Nicky Morrison
Nicky is a leading academic authority on delivering resilient, healthy and sustainable communities and securing affordable housing through the planning system. She is passionate about developing truly collaborative planning through effective partnerships between government, the private sector, NGOs, and community agencies.
Leisure, Health, and Place Thematic Co-Leader
Dr Felicity Picken
Felicity’s research areas include how terraqueous leisure and tourism reshapes our relations with the environment, post-industrial urban regeneration with a focus on heritage, creativity and architecture, lifestyle and amenity migration. All her research is underpinned by the principles of social and environmental sustainability.
Leisure, Health, and Sustainable Development Thematic Co-Leader
Associate Professor Hassan Gholipour Fereidouni
H.Fereidouni@westernsydney.edu.au
Hassan is an applied economist with a particular interest in tourism economics, and urban economics. He has published in leading tourism journals and has been listed among the top 2% of scientists worldwide for three consecutive years (2020-2022) in the sub-fields of “Sport, Leisure & Tourism” and “Economics & Business”.
Leisure, Health, and Sustainable Development Thematic Co-Leader
Dr Willem Coetzee
W.Coetzee@westernsydney.edu.au
Willem spent 18 years working in Higher Education in South Africa, where he focused on addressing social problems in developing countries. His research focuses on resilience of the hotel industry in water-stressed destinations and the SDGs, visitor and resident experiences at events and LGBTQIA+ tourism and events.
Leisure, Culture, and Community Thematic Co-Leader
Dr Jennifer Cheng
Jennifer’s research contributions lie in the intersection of gender, culture, leisure and sport, she is particularly interested in Muslim women’s engagement with sport and leisure. She also researches Islamophobia and anti-Islamophobia, migration multiculturalism, racism and anti-racism, integration and approaches using critical discourse analysis.
Leisure, Culture, and Community Thematic Co-Leader
Dr Michelle O’Shea
Michelle is an interdisciplinary gender equity scholar. Through her research, she is committed to understanding and redressing gender and intersectional inequities in institutional contexts (education, work, and sport).
