Mr William Koon
Adjunct Lecturer
- PhD, Geography, University of New South Wales (2024)
- Master of Public Health, University of Washington (2017)
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Graduate Certificate, Injury Prevention and Research, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (2017)
Medicine & Health
School of Population Health
I am a drowning prevention researcher and practitioner working at the intersection of public health, injury epidemiology, and emergency services. My work focuses on understanding and reducing drowning risk through data-driven research, policy development, and multisectoral collaboration. I bring a systems-level perspective to drowning prevention, grounded in extensive operational experience in beach safety and ocean lifeguarding, alongside academic research and national strategy leadership. My approach emphasises research translation, ensuring evidence informs real-world programs, policy, and practice.
Research Interests
- Drowning prevention
- Injury epidemiology
- Beach safety and coastal hazards
- Lifeguard systems and operations
- Emergency services and response
- Spatial analysis and GIS
- Multisectoral partnership and collaboration
- Research translation and implementation science
- Public health strategy and planing
Current Roles
- National Manager, Drowning Prevention Strategy, Royal Life Saving Australia
- Adjunct Lecturer, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney
- Research Fellow, Centre of Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University
- Research and strategy consultant focused on select drowning data and lifeguard operations
E-mail
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
- Lighthouse Award, National Drowning Prevention Alliance (USA), 2026
- Aquatics International Power Award, Aquatics International Magazine, 2024
- Surgeon Admiral Frank Golden Research Award, The Lifesaving Foundation Ireland, 2023
- Lake Macquarie City Council "Leading at All Levels" Award for co-development of a high school beach safety program, 2023
- Doctoral Research Fellowship (Inaugural), Ben Carlson Memorial and scholarship Foundation, 2022
- Community Lifesaver of the Year, National Drowning Prevention Alliance (USA), 2019
- Martin Hedstrom Memorial scholarship Award, Lifeguards Without Borders, 2015
- President's Volunteer Gold Service Award, President Barack Obama, The White House, 2014
My research focuses on drowning epidemiology, coastal risk and hazards, and intervention design, with a particular interest in beach safety systems and lifeguard operations and multisectoral collaboration and strategy for drowning prevention. I use mixed methods approaches, combining statistical analysis with qualitative and co-design methods.
Key areas of contribution include:
- Developing multisectoral co-designed strategies for drowning prevention including the Australian Water Safety Strategy and California Water Safety Strategy
- Quantifying coastal drowning risk using linked datasets and exposure-based metrics
- Evaluating lifeguard systems, practices, and effectiveness
- Co-designing beach safety and education programs with practitioners and end users
- Translating research into policy, strategy, and operational guidance
I prioritise applied research that directly informs decision-making and strengthens frontline prevention systems.