Rosalina Richards is a Samoan New Zealand behavioural psychologist, and is a full professor at the
University of Otago, specialising in Pacific public health.
Academic career
Richards was born and grew up in the South Island of New Zealand, and is of Samoan and English ancestry.
She completed a
PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
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titled ''Factors influencing physical activity participation during adolescence and young adulthood'' at the
University of Otago, supervised by Anthony Reeder.
The thesis was listed as an exceptional PhD thesis in the Division of Health Sciences for 2007.
Richards then joined the faculty at Otago, rising to associate professor in 2019 and full professor in 2023.
Richards was the inaugural Director of the Va'a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health at Otago, which was launched in 2018. She is also Co-Director, with
Anne-Marie Jackson
Anne-Marie Jackson is a New Zealand professor at the University of Otago specialising in Māori physical education and health.
Early life
Jackson grew up in rural Southland, with a Māori and a non-Māori parent. Both her parents worked in ...
, of the Coastal People: Southern Skies
Centre of Research Excellence
The Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs) are interorganisational research networks in New Zealand funded through the Centres of Research Excellence scheme, which is administered by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
History
The scheme w ...
, where she is responsible for capacity development and Pacific strategy.
Richards is a behavioural psychologist working in public health, and her research has covered topics such as healthy sleep practices, restoration of marine environments, and their importance in Pacific culture, and cancer prevention.
Richards and colleagues surveyed screentime in teenagers, and found that the more hours teens reported watching television or playing games online, the less close their relationship to their parents. She was part of a team who found Pacific communities in New Zealand call the National Poison Centre less often than expected, and part of another team that found rates of
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a type of kidney disease in which a gradual loss of kidney function occurs over a period of months to years. Initially generally no symptoms are seen, but later symptoms may include leg swelling, feeling tired, vo ...
were five times higher than expected in Samoan people in New Zealand.
Selected works
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References
External links
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What does the public know about preventing cancer'' presentation by Rose Richards, from 2015 Cancer Research Forum, via Vimeo
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New Zealand academics
New Zealand women academics
New Zealand people of Samoan descent
University of Otago alumni
Academic staff of the University of Otago
New Zealand psychologists