Associate ProfessorMatt Hobbs

Summary

Associate Professor Hobbs leads research on how cumulative environmental exposures shape health inequities across the lifecourse. His work in Te Kaupeka Oranga | the Faculty of Health at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand combines population-scale data, geospatial methods, and policy-relevant applications in water, air, and urban environments, generating actionable evidence for healthier, equitable, and sustainable communities. 

Overview

His current research centres on spatial lifecourse epidemiology, with a strong focus on the environmental and social determinants of health. He conducts applied, equity-oriented research aimed at improving population health and actively fosters the development of early career researchers within a collaborative academic environment. His work informs national priorities, including for example the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor’s Update of Evidence on Community Water Fluoridation, Te Tira Ārai Urutā | the New Zealand Royal Commission COVID-19 Lessons Learned and the Smoked Tobacco Amendment Act (2022).

Supervision and mentorship

He has supervised 17 early career researchers, including two postdoctoral fellows, eight PhD candidates, seven MSc students, and several research assistants, visiting scholars, and scholarship students. He places strong emphasis on high-quality mentorship and is proud that students under his senior supervision have received 11 national and international awards.

Awards and honours

To support his research Dr Hobbs has secured funding for more than 20 externally supported research projects worth ~$10million (NZD), including nine as Principal Investigator, and has published over 130 peer-reviewed articles. He has received more than ten awards recognising excellence in research, teaching, and service. He serves on the Editorial Board of Health & Place, previously held the role of Deputy Editor for Perspectives in Public Health (2020–2023), and has delivered more than 100 presentations at national and international conferences.