Professor Christy Newman

Christy Newman (they/them) is Professor at the UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health and Associate Dean Engagement and Impact for UNSW Arts, Design and Architecture. 

Christy is a qualitative social researcher of health, sexuality, and gender, with a background in sociology and cultural studies. They have worked in partnership with communities, governments, and clinical services for almost 20 years to understand the social dimensions of bloodborne viruses, sexual and reproductive health, and queer, bi+ and trans health and wellbeing, including their intersections with the related fields of mental health, Aboriginal health, harm reduction, disability, cancer prevention, violence prevention, adolescent health, family wellbeing, and gender and sexuality studies.

They have authored >130 peer reviewed publications, received >20 research grants totaling $6 million, and they regularly contribute research-informed perspectives to media, professional and community discussions of diverse genders, sexualities, relationships, and families. Recent media contributions include an SBS Insight episode on multi-gender attraction, a Centre for Ideas digital conversation on gender, faith and family with author/broadcaster Daniel M. Lavery, and podcast interviews on trust in digital health among people of diverse genders and sexualities and those affected by HIV and viral hepatitis.

In their role as Associate Dean, Christy is involved in designing and leading initiatives to enhance the capacity and visibility of ADA researchers to work in consultation and partnership with external organisations and communities ('research engagement') and to achieve positive and sustained change through those relationships and collaborations ('research impacts'). They have a passion for promoting the distinctive and compelling contributions of the arts, humanities, and social sciences in these areas, and facilitating multidisciplinary collaborations across and beyond the university.

Selected past projects include: 

• Waiting to be seen: social perspectives on trans health
• my health, our family: documenting stories of family life in the context of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C
• Trust in digital health among communities affected by BBVs and STIs in Australia
• Queer generations: belonging and citizenship among gender and sexual minority youth
• What we do well: strengths based research about Aboriginal young people's sexual wellbeing
• Positively women: project and exhibition
• Understanding disparities in PrEP access
• StraightMSM study: heterosexually-identified men who have sex with men
• You, Me and HIV: serodiscordant couple's study
• HIV general practice workforce project
• Cultural politics of health magazine reader letters
• Industries, genres and citizenships in dance music magazines