School of Medical and Health Sciences

Dr Caitlin Fox-Harding

Senior Lecturer (Exercise, Health and Sports Psychology)

Dr Caitlin Fox-Harding is a Senior Lecturer within the School of Medical and Health Sciences and a collaborator with the Exercise Medicine Research Institute (EMRI) at Edith Cowan University.  She is also the unit coordinator for components within the Exercise and Sport Science discipline at ECU's Joondalup campus and for the Singapore (PSB) program.  Caitlin is the course co-ordinator for the undergraduate double degree (W31) Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Sports Science)/Bachelor of Commerce (Sport Business).  She is passionate about student learning and has previously served as a sessional staff member in ECU's School of Education.

Caitlin has been involved in elite sport for 20 years during her time as a competitive athlete in the Olympic sport of fencing.  She was an active member of the International Fencing Federation (FIE)'s Women & Fencing Council and the founder of the Australian Fencing Federation (AFF)'s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She had previously served as the AFF's national High-Performance Manager and was in charge of sporting operations. She is currently the President of FencingWA.

She is dedicated to applying exercise as a tool to improve the mental health and well-being of at-risk populations, including those with mental illness and individuals in antenatal and postnatal stages. With a background in Exercise Science and Public Health with a passion for women’s health, she focuses on empowering individuals to lead healthier lives through tailored, evidence-based physical activity programs.

Current Teaching

• SPS2622 Psychology of Exercise and Health Behaviour
• SPS3120 Psychosocial Aspects of Physical Activity and Chronic Disease
• SPS3333 Motor Behaviour
• SPS1530 Lifespan Growth and Development

Previous Teaching

• SPS3333 Advanced Motor Control, Learning and Psychology
• SPS3601 Advanced Social Psychology of Exercise and Sport
• MMS6505 Psycho-Oncology: The Science of Care

Background

• The University of Sydney – Faculty of Health Sciences
  Casual Lecturer 2016-2019 (Sport Psychology, Motor Control/Learning, Physiology, Ethics and Human Justice)

Professional Associations

• Advance HE, Senior Fellow
• Exercise and Sport Science Australia (ESSA)
• Society for Mental Health Research (SMHR)
• Australian Psychological Society (APS)
• Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity (ASPA)
• Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA)
• Higher Education Research and Development of Australasia (HERDSA) Fellow

Research Areas and Interests

Caitlin is passionate about preventative medicine and enhancing overall well-being through exercise and sport science. Caitlin’s work spans healthy, clinical, and sporting populations, with a strong emphasis on the connection between physical activity and mental well-being. Her research interests include maternal and women's health, including the benefits of structured exercise during pregnancy, its role in supporting individuals with breast cancer, and its potential as an adjunct treatment for severe psychiatric illnesses. She is also deeply interested in the mental health of elite athletes and advancing opportunities for women in sport.

Qualifications

• Master of Education, Edith Cowan University, 2024.
• Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice, Edith Cowan University, 2022.
• Education, Edith Cowan University, 2021.
• Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Sydney, 2019.
• Bachelor of Arts, United States of America, 2014.

Research Outputs

Research Projects

• HEALing Mental Health Research - ESSA , Exercise & Sports Science Australia, Healing Mental Health Research Tender, 2022 ‑ 2025, $29,885.

Research Student Supervision