Mike Annear

I am a physical activity epidemiologist and applied gerontologist undertaking evaluative and intervention studies concerning the processes through which built and natural environments shape human activity, wellbeing, and life course. My work focuses on how urban and rural places can be planned, designed, and used to support active living, resilience, and quality of life, particularly among ageing and at-risk populations.

My interdisciplinary research spans the Asia-Pacific and examines the relationships between environment, behaviour, and wellbeing in diverse social and cultural contexts. I work with communities and collaborators in Japan, Australia, the United States, and Aotearoa New Zealand, and have published more than 60 journal articles on the intersections of environment, ageing, and place-based wellbeing.

I am currently leading and contributing to programmes of research on Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, physical and mental wellbeing in rural heartland communities, and the physical activity and infrastructure legacies of major sporting events. In 2023, I received an International Research Excellence Award from Waseda University in Japan.

Beyond the university, I am a trustee of the Port Hills Park (Mt Vernon) Trust and am passionate about strengthening connections between people, place, and landscape, including engagement with the Canterbury hill country. I am also a long-standing Associate Editor for the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity and a member of Recreation Aotearoa.