The University of Newcastle's Laureate Professor Rob Sanson-Fisher AO has been honoured with the President's Award for Distinguished life time Contribution to Psychology from the Australia Psychological Society.

Laureate Professor Sanson-Fisher is an accomplished researcher into the areas of health behaviour and responses to illness, risk modification and disease prevention. His research findings have influenced a number of medical practices including the way GPs communicate with patients.

As part of his award, Laureate Professor Sanson-Fisher presented a keynote address at the 27th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP), in Melbourne this week.

"This award represents not just my individual work but the combined efforts of the research groups I have worked with over the last three decades. It would have been very difficult to do the work that I have done without these collaborations, support from the University of Newcastle and the community," Laureate Professor Sanson-Fisher said.

In 2009, Laureate Professor Sanson-Fisher was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to improving public health outcomes.