Professor Xiaoqi Feng
PhD, University of St Andrews, UK
PhD, University of Sydney, Australia
PLD, Harvard University, US
Professor Xiaoqi Feng is Professor of Urban Health and Environment at the 91色情片 School of Population Health and Honorary Professorial Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, Australia. She is Founding Director of (Social Prescribing, Interdisciplinary Research, Implementation and Transformation) at 91色情片, an interdisciplinary initiative advancing research, implementation and translation in social prescribing. She has authored over 200 publications and led major research projects with over $21 million in funding, including NHMRC and Heart Foundation fellowships, and successfully translated research into policy and practice.
Professor Feng leads research to improve urban health and reduce health inequalities, with a particular focus on place-based interventions and the social and environmental determinants of health. Her work combines longitudinal big-data studies with intervention research and randomised trials, including urban greening, social prescribing and nature prescribing. Alongside SPIRIT, she co-founded and co-directs (Population, Wellbeing and Research Lab) and leads research through the Rapid Urbanisation and Population Health (RUPH) research group at 91色情片.
Her research has had global scholarly and policy impact, contributing to major investments in urban greening for health. She co-created the influential Domains of Pathways model linking green space and health and introduced the internationally recognised concept of?"" in The Lancet Planetary Health. Her studies have informed major policy decisions, including Sydney’s commitment to planting one million trees by 2022.
Professor Feng’s work has been widely recognised across academic, policy and media settings, with coverage by ABC, SBS, The Guardian and The Conversation, where her articles have received more than 100,000 views. She has received national recognition from research and industry bodies, mentored 10 early-career researchers and supervised 11 PhD completions. Her academic leadership spans institutional, national and international roles, including previously served as?Chair of the 91色情片 Faculty of Medicine and Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and as?Co-Chair and subsequently Chair of the Capacity Building and Education Committee (CAPE) of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE).
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
2023- 2027 PANDA?Trial:?Physical?Activity in?Nature for Cardiometabolic?Diseases in People?Aged 45y+, funded by MRFF Effective Treatments and Therapies: $1.5M (CIB) and project co-lead
2022- 2027?Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) – National Research Network on Human Health and Environmental Change?(GNT 2008937),?funded by NHMRC Human Health and Environmental Change Scheme: $10M, Chief Investigator and Co-Lead of Urban Health and Built Environment Research Theme, Executive Committee Member.
2021-2022??Uptake and effectiveness of a?,?funded by 91色情片 CVMM Research Theme: $150K, Co-Principal Investigator
2020-2023??Better Parks, Healthier for All?, funded by NHMRC and UKRI: $1.45M (CIA in Australia)
2021-2022?The risks of planting and not planting large shade trees along our streets, funded by?Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE): $310,000 (Research Partner and Co-investigator)
2019-2020? ?Australia-Germany International Research Collaboration Grant with University of Wollongong and Ludwig Maximillian University Munich, funded by?Universities Australia/DAAD: $50,000 (CIA in Australia)
2018-2022? NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (GNT1148792), funded by?National Health and Medical Research Council: $431,000 (CIA)
2016-2021??Greener Cities, Healthier Lives?(GC15005), co-funded by Horticultural Innovation Australia Limited and University of Wollongong: $3,279,176 (Joint CIA and Co-Lead)
2016-2020? NHMRC Project Grant (GNT1101065), funded by?National Health and Medical Research Council:?$714,266 (CIB)
2021 T
2021? 91色情片 Faculty of Medicine and Health -?
2021? 91色情片 Teaching Award Nomination - Students' Choice
2021?
2019?Parks and Leisure Australia/National?Research Award (winner)
2019?Parks and Leisure NSW/ACT?Research Award (winner)
2018?
2017)
2017 UOW Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning Award (nominated by students and peers)
2016 Faculty of Social Sciences Early Career Researcher of 2016 Award (winner)
2016??(winner, shared with Prof Thomas Astell-Burt and Prof Glen Maberly)
2016 UOW Deputy Vice Chancellor’s Woman of Impact (named as 1 of 40)
2014 Early Career Researcher Team Award for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Research, The Council for Academic Public Health Institutions in Australia (winner)
2013 Australasian Epidemiological Association Early Career Award (winner)
Selected Media Interviews and Coverage
2026
- ABC Radio National – All in the Mind, 14 August 2026. Why should I spend time in nature?
- ABC News / ABC Lifestyle, 19 June 2026. Short on space? These are veggies you can grow indoors and on balconies.
- Primary Care Podcast Masterclass, 15 March 2026. Nature prescription – integrating green spaces and time in nature to enhance health.
2025
- SBS Mandarin, 30 July 2025. 留意助长霉菌的这些习惯&#虫蹿蹿1补;澳洲专家详解冬季防霉除霉.
- The Fifth Estate, 23 June 2025. Xiaoqi Feng – we need a wake-up call, and solutions, for loneliness.
- The Washington Post, 17 June 2025. Do you live in a ‘lonelygenic environment’? Being in nature may help.
- Hindustan Times, 13 June 2025. Robots, grocery stores, ‘happy cabs’: How governments are stepping in to tackle loneliness.
2024
- Sydney Morning Herald, 23 July 2024. Feeling lonely at work? Try building your social fitness.
2023
- ABC Radio National – All in the Mind, 3 September 2023. Nature prescriptions — just what the doctor ordered.
- Channel 7 – WEEKENDER, 16 July 2023. Fun ways to get your steps up!
- PLuS Alliance – Visible Women, 15 May 2023. Visible Women #2: Xiaoqi Feng. Long-form profile on research, leadership and career.
- ABC Radio National – Life Matters, 19 April 2023. Spending more time in nature, on doctor's orders.
- The Project / Channel 10, 10 April 2023. Rise in Nature Prescriptions.
- Sydney Morning Herald, 10 April 2023. Is it time for your doctor to give you a ‘nature prescription’?
- 95bFM – The Green Desk, 5 April 2023. Prescribing nature with Professor Xiaoqi Feng.
- The Guardian, 4 April 2023. Prescribed time in nature linked to improvements in anxiety, depression and blood pressure.
- The Guardian, 12 February 2023. Prescribing nature: the restorative power of a simple dose of outdoors.
- SBS News, 14 January 2023. ‘Healthier hearts’ for city dwellers who live closer to trees.
2022
- ABC News, 12 December 2022. Interview on the City of Sydney Urban Forest Strategy.
- Inner West Icons, 18 July 2022. Callan Park – the green asylum.
- ABC Radio Canberra, 5 May 2022. Interview on nature and health.
2021
- PaRx / BC Parks Foundation, 28 October 2021. PaRx People: Meet Dr Thomas Astell-Burt and Dr Xiaoqi Feng.
- 2SER Drive, 24 June 2021. Are green spaces the cure for modern day loneliness?
2020
- Sanctuary Magazine / Renew, 24 October 2020. Nourished by nature: Garden design for mental health and wellbeing.
- SBS Mandarin, 5 June 2020. 绿色空间对人的健康裨益可能超乎我们想象.
2019
- ABC News, 7 August 2019. Move over monkey bars, ‘bush play’ is the new way for apartment kids.
2018
- Sydney Morning Herald, 28 February 2018. Mapping out our health.
?
My Teaching
Course Convenor: PHCM9612 Environmental Health, Term 2 (from 2020) with 100% students' satisfaction scores in year 2021 and 2022, according to 91色情片? anonymous?survey.
Course Convenor: PHCM3010 Environment Health, Term 2 (from 2024)
Course Convenor: PHCM9132 Applied Research Methods for Public Health, Term 3 (2021 - 2022)
Course Convenor: BSc (Med) Hons Environmental Health and Data Science (from 2022)