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Professor of Behaviour & Social Change, University of Technology Sydney

Ross Gordon is a Professor of Behaviour & Social Change in UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney. Ross currently serves on the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health. Prior to joining UTS, Ross was a Professor at QUT (2018-2024) and served on the executive of the QUT Centre for Justice, as well as being the QUT Business School & QUT Centre for Justice ECR Programme Director. He is a former President of the Australian Association of Social Marketing (2014-2021), and former member of the Board of Directors of the International Social Marketing Association. Ross is also currently a Visiting Professor at the University of Wollongong and Coventry University, and formerly a Visiting Academic at London School of Economics and Political Science, and The Open University.

Ross is an interdisciplinary behaviour and social change activist with degree qualifications in marketing, public policy, and politics and history. His work focuses on social issues and behaviour and social change, through a critical, reflexive and multi-perspective lens. His discipline expertise lies in social marketing, consumer cultures, and critical marketing teaching and research. He works across various social change topic areas including energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, alcohol and alcohol marketing, gambling, tobacco control, mental health, and workplace bullying. He is also interested in critiques of neoliberalism and related social activism. Ross uses interdisciplinary and multi-method approaches to his work and has extensive experience using methodologies including longitudinal quantitative surveys, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, focus groups, depth interviews, ethnography including visual methods, content analysis, and cognitive neuroscience. He also has considerable experience in research, designing, implementing and evaluating behaviour and social change programmes.

He has been a principal or named investigator on projects attracting over $8.4m in research funds in Australia, UK, Europe and Asia. He has acted an expert advisor to the Australian Government, the UK and Scottish Governments, the European Commission, WHO, Energy Consumers Australia, NSW Health, and a range of other stakeholders on various topics relating to behaviour and social change. Ross has published over 100 academic journals, book chapters and conference papers including in outlets such as European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Marketing Theory, Human Resources Management Journal, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of Macromarketing, Journal of Social Marketing, Environment & Planning D: Society & Space, Journal of Environmental Management, Energy Policy, Social Science & Medicine, BMC Public Health, and Social and Cultural Geography. He has also written numerous client reports and regularly gives invited presentations. Ross co-authors a leading book on using social marketing for behaviour and social change that facilitates social good: Jeff French and Ross Gordon (2019). Strategic Social Marketing: For Behaviour and Social Change, 2nd Edition. London: Sage.

Ross is a keen player and follower of sports including playing football, cycling, loves travelling, enjoys current affairs, and is a big music fan and occasional techno DJ.

Experience

  • 2018–present
    Professor, Queensland University of Technology
  • 2016–2018
    Associate Professor, Macquarie University
  • 2014–2016
    Senior lecturer, Macquarie University
  • 2013–2014
    Senior research fellow, University of Wollongong
  • 2010–2013
    Research fellow, University of Wollongong
  • 2009–2010
    Research associate, The Open University
  • 2005–2009
    Research officer, University of Stirling

Education

  • 2011 
    University of Stirling , PhD Marketing
  • 2005 
    University of Strathclyde, MSc Public Policy
  • 2002 
    University of Strathclyde, BA Honours in Politics and History

Grants and Contracts

  • 2020
    Assessing Energy Inequity and the Distributional Effects of Energy Policies
    Role:
    Lead Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Australian Government, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
  • 2019
    In it to win it - An interdisciplinary investigation of sports betting
    Role:
    Lead Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Australian Research Council
  • 2019
    Effectiveness of Household Energy Efficiency Interventions in Advanced Economies - What Works and What Doesn’t
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Energy Consumers Australia
  • 2018
    Review of Road Safety Advertising
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    NSW Government Department of Premier and Cabinet
  • 2017
    Exploring the nexus of energy use, ageing, and health and wellbeing among older Australians
    Role:
    Lead Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Energy Consumers Australia
  • 2016
    Using social marketing to support energy efficiency practices among low income families
    Role:
    Lead Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Energy Australia & Macquarie University Enterprise Partnership Scheme
  • 2014
    Selling the Punt: An interdisciplinary analysis of the extent and impact of sports wagering marketing strategies in Australia
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Australian Research Council
  • 2014
    Workplace bullying research project
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    beyondblue
  • 2014
    Alcohol ‘Truth’ – A counter marketing intervention to address adolescent alcohol consumption
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education
  • 2013
    Energy Efficiency in the 3rd Age. Pathways and initiatives for low income older people to manage energy efficiency
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Australian Government, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism. Low Income Energy Efficiency Program
  • 2013
    Systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between environmental noise and health
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    NSW Health
  • 2013
    Consumer socialisation and consumption communities in gambling
    Role:
    Lead Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Early Career Research Grant Programme
  • 2012
    Effectiveness of “signs and symptoms” campaigns for lung cancer: a rapid review
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Sax Institute
  • 2012
    Alcohol Policy Interventions in Scotland and England: APISE
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Medical Research Council
  • 2012
    Examination into the nature and extent of point of sale alcohol promotions at retail outlets in Victoria
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Department of Justice Victoria
  • 2012
    Improving cancer outcomes among culturally and linguistically diverse Communities: A Rapid Review
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Sax Institute
  • 2012
    When it’s good to be a quitter: The development of youth oriented anti-tobacco resources
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    University of Wollongong, Community Engagement Grant Scheme
  • 2010
    Investigating the Effectiveness of Education in Relation to Alcohol
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Alcohol Education and Research Council
  • 2009
    Implementation of Specific strategies focusing on health determinants: Reducing the damaging effects of alcohol
    Role:
    Lead Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    European Commission (DG SANCO)
  • 2008
    Learning About Alcohol: Influences of the Family Context
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Joseph Rowntree Foundation
  • 2007
    Review of Literature to Identify Whether Encouraging People to Talk About Suicidal Feelings is Associated with Any Known/Identified Positive or Negative Outcomes and to Identify Any Similar/Relevant Awareness Raising/Social Marketing Campaigns and Their Impact
    Role:
    Lead Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Scottish Government
  • 2007
    A Review Of Initiatives That Have Resulted In Changes In Attitudes, Knowledge, And Behaviour
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Joseph Rowntree Foundation
  • 2006
    Study of Drinking Cultures
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    NHS Health Scotland
  • 2006
    Assessing the Cumulative Impact of Alcohol Marketing Communications on Youth Drinking
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Medical Research Council
  • 2005
    Review of Effectiveness of Social Marketing Interventions for Health Improvement
    Role:
    Chief Investigator
    Funding Source:
    UK Department of Health

Professional Memberships

  • Australian Association of Social Marketing