Meet the Researcher: Professor Jason Prior
Jason Prior is Professor of Planning, Health and Environment at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF).
Professor Prior is also the lead of the cross-university Healthy Populations and Environments Platform in Maridulu Budyari Gumal: Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE), one of the NHMRC Research Translation Centres, and co-convenor of the Climate Change and Health Collaborative within the Research Institute for Innovative Solutions for Wellbeing and Health (INSIGHT) at UTS.
With a diverse background as an architect, planner, and geographer, Professor Prior's research encompasses critical areas such as the environment, planning, and human and planet health.
His research, which involves collaborations across universities, government, industry and communities, has been recognised both nationally and internationally through nine awards, mostly recently including the 2024 National Banksia Sustainability Healthy Planet, Healthy People Award, and the 2024 Australian IoT Research Award.
The environment, planning, and human and planetary health are individually very big issues. How did you get involved in researching in all these areas?
Professor Jason Prior from UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures.
My journey into these interconnected fields began with my early training as an architect. I quickly realised that the built environment has profound impacts on both human health and ecological systems. This realisation led me to expand my studies through a PhD into planning and geographies.
Over the years, I recognised that addressing complex issues like climate change, urbanisation, and health requires a holistic and transdisciplinary approach. This drove me to integrate these domains in my research, aiming to develop sustainable solutions that benefit the health of people and the environments on which their health depends. Increasingly, my research has focused on the way in which sensors, AI and data can be used to enhance the way the environments in which we live –including homes, health precincts and cities – can support human and planetary health.
What’s been your most rewarding achievement or moment in your research career?
Whilst my career has been filled with rewarding moments, engaging in research collaborations with government, industry, and communities is undeniably the most rewarding aspect. These partnerships bring together diverse expertise, ideas, and perspectives, fostering innovation and practical solutions to tackling complex challenges such as pollution, climate change and the changes facing our health systems. For instance, the recent Operational Network of Air Quality Impact Resources (OPENAIR) project helped tackle pollution at the local level, used a codesign process involving local councils and five universities to empower local councils to combat air pollution by providing Australia’s first common method for using low-cost smart sensors to measure air quality. Beyond research achievements, these collaborations often cultivate lasting professional relationships and networks, that often support ongoing change.
Professor Jason Prior was a member of the OPENAIR Project team who accepted the 2024 Australian IoT Research Award earlier this year. (From left to right): Margaret Haak from NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; Claire Chaikin-Bryan from Lake Macquarie Council; Dr Liwan Liyanage from Western Sydney University; Andrew Tovey from UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures; Professor Jason Prior from UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures; Frank Zeichner from IoT Alliance; Peter Runcie from NSW Smart Sensing Network. Credit: IoT Hub.
What else are you hoping to achieve in your career?
Looking ahead, whilst I will continue to develop research collaborations that support the development of healthy urban environments through my leadership roles at ISF, INSIGHT and SPHERE, my research is increasingly focussed on creating sustainable health systems that address the impacts of climate change. By integrating climate-resilient systems into health infrastructure and care, we aim to ensure continuity of care even in challenging environmental conditions. Additionally, our efforts include addressing the needs of the growing ageing population by enhancing systems that support elderly individuals to live independently and healthy at home for longer.
These initiatives not only improve the quality of life for ageing citizens but also contribute to the overall resilience and sustainability of healthcare services. For instance, a new collaboration I’m involved in is seeking to know how older Australians feel about emerging technology, such as devices for monitoring activity/biometrics and smart data-processing technology, in their homes if it means being able to age in place. Another is a project, that is seeking to identify a subset of meaningful health and wellbeing measurements that provide a comprehensive understanding of older people’s wellbeing at home. These projects are part of a series being developed by the Health at Home group and NSSN Ageing taskforce, which is seeking to understand how existing and emerging technology could be integrated into people’s environments and the workforce to create a future where care models for older people are personalised, integrated, high quality, efficient, sustainable, scalable and transferable.
Why is what you do important?
The collaborative research I’m involved in is crucial because it seeks to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Climate change, urbanisation, and health systems are deeply interconnected issues that require comprehensive and forward-thinking solutions. Through research collaborations involving government, industry, and community, I aim to create environments that enhance the wellbeing and health of current and future generations. Our health and the health of our planet are inextricably linked, and it is imperative that we translate research into practices and policies that support both. My research seeks to bridge gaps, foster collaboration, and use sensors, AI and data, to drive positive change towards a more sustainable and caring future for all.