Staff Profile

Dr Leanne Brown is a Senior Lecturer and Academic Team Leader at the University of Newcastle, Department of Rural Health where she has been based since 2003. She is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian with 18 years’ experience in the dietetics profession. Dr Brown graduated from the University of Newcastle in 1994 with an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and worked as a clinical dietitian for 10 years in a number of metropolitan hospitals gaining a broad range of dietetic and management experience. Since 2003, Dr Brown has worked in an academic role in the University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) program, which was established in Tamworth in 2002. The UDRH program focuses on facilitating student placements and learning, enhancing the health of local communities through community projects and conducting research into rural health issues.

Dr Brown completed her PhD (Nutrition and Dietetics) at the University of Newcastle 2009. Her doctoral research investigated the barriers to the provision of a best practice dietetics service in rural areas. Ongoing research interests include dietetic workforce issues, rural dietetic services, sports nutrition and best practice dietetic services for rural areas. Her key research achievements to date include:

• Ten (10) peer-reviewed journal articles, 6 as first author. Co-author two (2) book chapters

• Two (2) conference papers and > 40 conference abstracts.

• Research grants to the total of $74,070 and teaching and project grants totalling $152,070.

• Supervision of four Honours students and one PhD student.

• Invitations to present at a Qualitative Research Workshop at the DAA NSW Regional Event in Newcastle 2010 and the New England Nutrition and Dietetics Research Symposium in 2005, 2007 and 2009.

• Invited to contribute to two Australian Rural Health Education Network publications; ‘Opportunities as Vast as the Landscape’ in 2006 and ‘A Bright Future for Rural Health’ in 2010.

• Member of the Scientific Committee for the 16th International Congress of Dietetics 2012 in Sydney.

Dr Brown is an Accredited Sports Dietitian and also has accreditation as a Level 3 Anthropometrist with the International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry. She teaches into the Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics program by providing online teaching and course co-ordination for two courses, Sports Nutrition NUDI4270 and Nutrition 1 HLSC1200 (Distance). Dr Brown was awarded an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2009. She was also awarded an Academic Achievement Award from the University of Newcastle Faculty of Health in 2004 and Vice Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2008.