Professor Simon Smith
Professor

Simon Smith

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Background

My group works to understand and improve sleep for children and families. Sleep is a key ‘pillar of health’ alongside nutrition and activity. It is critical for healthy development, growth, learning, social and emotional functioning, and community participation.

I am the UQ Node Director for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (the Life Course Centre). The Life Course Centre is committed to understanding and overcoming the problems of disadvantage, and to helping improve the lives of disadvantaged children and families. The Centre brings together researchers across multiple disciplines in four leading Universities, and significant government and non-government agencies to address these questions.

I am also the UQ Node director for the ARC centre of Excellence for the Digital Child. The Digital Child aims to support children growing up in the rapidly changing digital world, and provide strong evidence and guidance for children, families, educators, government and other concerned with children’s wellbeing.

We collaborate with many other groups around broader issues of sleep and technology, sleep and the environment (including disasters), mental health and wellbeing, pain, disability, and new technologies and approaches. Our work has been supported by the ARC, NHMRC, the MRFF, the NIH, and the DSTG. We use a wide range of methods and measures, including direct physiological and behavioural measurement (inc. ECG, EEG, EMG, actigraphy, computerized tests, simulations, environmental monitoring etc.), quantitative methods (inc. experimental and secondary data approaches), and qualitative methods including co-design and co-conduct approaches.

My team has additional expertise in evaluation of health and other services for government and other agencies, the design of complex interventions, and community consultation and engagement.

https://lifecoursecentre.org.au

https://digitalchild.org.au

Availability

Professor Simon Smith is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Adolescent health Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Cardiovascular medicine and haematology Clinical sciences Infant and child health Paediatrics Pain Respiratory diseases

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), Monash University
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of Melbourne
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne

Search Professor Simon Smith’s works on UQ eSpace

285 works between 2000 and 2025
All (285) Journal Article (130) Book Chapter (3) Conference Publication (133) Book (2) Other Outputs (17)

101 - 120 of 285 works

2018

Conference Publication

Don’t sweat the small stuff: the effect of challenge-skill manipulation on electrodermal activity

Klarkowski, Madison, Johnson, Daniel, Wyeth, Peta, Phillips, Cody and Smith, Simon (2018). Don’t sweat the small stuff: the effect of challenge-skill manipulation on electrodermal activity. 5th ACM SIGCHI Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play, CHI PLAY 2018, Melbourne, VIC Australia , 28-31 October 2018. New York, NY USA: Association for Computing Machinery. doi: 10.1145/3242671.3242714

Don’t sweat the small stuff: the effect of challenge-skill manipulation on electrodermal activity

2018

Conference Publication

Observed non-compliance with safe sleeping guidelines in licensed home- and centre-based childcare services

Staton, S., Pease, A., Smith, S., Pattinson, C., Blair, P., Young, J., Irvine, S. and Thorpe, K. (2018). Observed non-compliance with safe sleeping guidelines in licensed home- and centre-based childcare services. 30th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of Australasian Sleep Association and the Australasian Sleep Technologists Association (Sleep DownUnder), Brisbane, Australia, 17-20 October, 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jsr.37_12765

Observed non-compliance with safe sleeping guidelines in licensed home- and centre-based childcare services

2018

Other Outputs

Submission to Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia

Staton, S. and Smith, S. (2018). Submission to Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia. Australia: The Australian Parliament’s House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport.

Submission to Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia

2018

Other Outputs

Evaluation framework for the overarching evaluation of the national support for child and youth mental health program

Smith, Simon, Ferris, Jason, Edmed, Shannon, Puljevic, Cheneal, Salom, Caroline and Thorpe, Karen (2018). Evaluation framework for the overarching evaluation of the national support for child and youth mental health program. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.

Evaluation framework for the overarching evaluation of the national support for child and youth mental health program

2018

Conference Publication

Actigraphy-based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable

Rankin, P., Staton, S., Thorpe, K. and Smith, S. (2018). Actigraphy-based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable. Australasian Chronobiology Society 15th Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia, 2018.

Actigraphy-based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable

2018

Other Outputs

Summary report for the sleep learning for early education professionals project

Staton, S., Thorpe, K., Pattinson, C., Smith, S. and Irvine, S. (2018). Summary report for the sleep learning for early education professionals project. Brisbane, Queensland: Department of Education, Queensland Government.

Summary report for the sleep learning for early education professionals project

2018

Conference Publication

Regularity of infant and toddler sleep practices between home and childcare settings

Staton, S., Smith, S., Rankin, P. and Thorpe, K. (2018). Regularity of infant and toddler sleep practices between home and childcare settings. 30th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of Australasian-Sleep-Association and the Australasian-Sleep-Technologists-Association (Sleep DownUnder), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 17-20 October 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jsr.106_12766

Regularity of infant and toddler sleep practices between home and childcare settings

2017

Other Outputs

Sleep and the restless preschooler: why policies need to change

Thorpe, Karen, Staton, Sally, Smith, Simon and Irvine, Susan (2017, 10 06). Sleep and the restless preschooler: why policies need to change The Conversation

Sleep and the restless preschooler: why policies need to change

2017

Journal Article

Weighing in on international growth standards: testing the case in Australian preschool children

Pattinson, C. L., Staton, S. L., Smith, S. S., Trost, S. G., Sawyer, E. F. and Thorpe, K. J. (2017). Weighing in on international growth standards: testing the case in Australian preschool children. Obesity Reviews, 18 (10), 1111-1121. doi: 10.1111/obr.12581

Weighing in on international growth standards: testing the case in Australian preschool children

2017

Journal Article

The effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance: a systematic review.

Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi, White, Melanie J., Garcia-Hansen, Veronica and Smith, Simon S. (2017). The effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance: a systematic review.. PLoS One, 12 (8) e0184002, e0184002. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184002

The effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance: a systematic review.

2017

Journal Article

Developing a successful treatment for co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea

Sweetman, Alexander M., Lack, Leon C., Catcheside, Peter G., Antic, Nick A., Chai-Coetzer, Ching Li, Smith, Simon S., Douglas, James A. and McEvoy, R. Doug (2017). Developing a successful treatment for co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 33, 28-38. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2016.04.004

Developing a successful treatment for co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea

2017

Conference Publication

EFFECTIVENESS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR INSOMNIA IN PATIENTS WITH COMORBID OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

Sweetman, A., Lack, L. C., Smith, S. S., Catcheside, P. G., Antic, N. A., Chai-Coetzer, C., Douglas, J. A., O'Grady, A., Dunn, N., Robinson, J. and McEvoy, D. (2017). EFFECTIVENESS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR INSOMNIA IN PATIENTS WITH COMORBID OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA. 31st Annual Meeting of the Associated-Professional-Sleep-Societies (APSS), Boston Ma, Jun 03-07, 2017. CARY: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC. doi: 10.1093/sleepj/zsx050.339

EFFECTIVENESS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR INSOMNIA IN PATIENTS WITH COMORBID OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

2017

Conference Publication

CHANGES IN EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE DURING BEDTIME RESTRICTION THERAPY IN CO-MORBID INSOMNIA AND OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

Sweetman, A. M., Lack, L. L., Smith, S. S., Catcheside, P. G., Antic, N. A., Chai-Coetzer, C., Douglas, J. A., O'Grady, A., Dunn, N., Robinson, J. and McEvoy, D. (2017). CHANGES IN EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE DURING BEDTIME RESTRICTION THERAPY IN CO-MORBID INSOMNIA AND OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA. 31st Annual Meeting of the Associated-Professional-Sleep-Societies (APSS), Boston Ma, Jun 03-07, 2017. CARY: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC. doi: 10.1093/sleepj/zsx050.374

CHANGES IN EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE DURING BEDTIME RESTRICTION THERAPY IN CO-MORBID INSOMNIA AND OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

2017

Journal Article

Actigraphically measured sleep-wake behavior after mild traumatic brain injury: a case-control study

Allan, Alicia C., Edmed, Shannon L., Sullivan, Karen A., Karlsson, Lina J. E., Lange, Rael T. and Smith, Simon S. (2017). Actigraphically measured sleep-wake behavior after mild traumatic brain injury: a case-control study. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 32 (2), E35-E45. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000222

Actigraphically measured sleep-wake behavior after mild traumatic brain injury: a case-control study

2017

Journal Article

Mandatory nap times and group napping patterns in child care: an observational study

Staton, Sally L., Smith, Simon S., Hurst, Cameron, Pattinson, Cassandra L. and Thorpe, Karen J. (2017). Mandatory nap times and group napping patterns in child care: an observational study. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 15 (2), 129-143. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2015.1120199

Mandatory nap times and group napping patterns in child care: an observational study

2017

Journal Article

Sleep-related crash characteristics: Implications for applying a fatigue definition to crash reports

Filtness, A. J., Armstrong, K. A., Watson, A. and Smith, S. S. (2017). Sleep-related crash characteristics: Implications for applying a fatigue definition to crash reports. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 99 (Part B), 440-444. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.11.024

Sleep-related crash characteristics: Implications for applying a fatigue definition to crash reports

2017

Journal Article

Validating an older adult driving behaviour model with structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis

Wong, Ides Y., Smith, Simon S. and Sullivan, Karen A. (2017). Validating an older adult driving behaviour model with structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 59, 495-504. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2016.12.011

Validating an older adult driving behaviour model with structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis

2017

Conference Publication

A case-control spectral analysis of sleep in Friedreich's Ataxia

Forbes, R., Smith, S. S., Ritchie, A., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Mantovani, S. (2017). A case-control spectral analysis of sleep in Friedreich's Ataxia. World Sleep 2017, Prague, Czech Republic, 7-11 October 2017. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2017.11.611

A case-control spectral analysis of sleep in Friedreich's Ataxia

2017

Conference Publication

Timing of bright light exposure is related to sleep timing in office workers

Allan, A., Garcia-Hansen, V., Isoardi, G. and Smith, S. (2017). Timing of bright light exposure is related to sleep timing in office workers. 14th World Sleep Congress, Prague, Czech Republic, 7-11 October 2017. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2017.11.024

Timing of bright light exposure is related to sleep timing in office workers

2017

Conference Publication

Sleep Learning for Early Education Professionals

Staton, S., Smith, S., Irvine, S., Pattinson, C. and Thorpe, K. (2017). Sleep Learning for Early Education Professionals. Queensland Government Department of Education and Training Research Forum, Brisbane, 2017.

Sleep Learning for Early Education Professionals

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2029
    Untapping the potential of sleep health to improve prevention and management of mental health problems in First Nations Children
    NHMRC MRFF Childhood Mental Health Research
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2028
    Comparative effectiveness of exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy, and their combination for people with chronic musculoskeletal pain and poor sleep
    United States Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs - Chronic Pain Management Research Program
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    Sleep for Strong Souls (3S): Multisectoral partnership and codesigned solutions to improve the sleep health of First Nations Adolescents
    NHMRC Partnership Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    What causes low back pain to flare: Has a major opportunity to understand back pain been missed?
    United States National Institutes of Health
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2028
    ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child (ARC Centre of Excellence administered by Queensland University of Technology)
    Queensland University of Technology
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2027
    ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course
    ARC Centres of Excellence
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    The developmental significance of sleep transition in early childhood.
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    Impact of circadian and endocrine disruption on the pathogenesis of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (2023 MSHRSS Co-funded Collaboration Grant led by MSH).
    Metro South Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Wearable Predictive Diagnostics for Warfighter Maintenance (Commonwealth Defence Science and Technology Group project administered by QUT)
    Commonwealth Defence Science and Technology Group
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2024
    BALANCE: Promoting wellBeing in AdoLescent and young Adult cancer survivors
    NHMRC Partnership Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Prediction of crash risk of school children at school zones via a machine learning approach
    Road Safety Innovation Fund
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2024
    Deep learning and physiology based approach to derive and link obstructive sleep apnoea phenotypes and symptomatology
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    'We need to talk' : Genomics and disability
    MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission, Project Grant administered by AusIndustry
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Co-designed sleep health program to achieve better sleep and improved mental health symptoms in Indigenous adolescents
    NHMRC MRFF - Indigenous Health Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    Evaluation Framework for the Keeping Queenslanders Healthy Priority
    Queensland Health
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    Assessing Sleep, Activity and Behaviour in Children and Adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome (BDHP grant administered by CHQHHS)
    Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Reducing Crash Risk For Young Drivers: A Randomized Control Trial To Improve Sleep
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Evaluation of the national support for child and youth mental health program and longitudinal research plan
    Commonwealth Department of Health
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Sleep measurements in Friedreich's ataxia, Huntington's disease patients and healthy volunteers
    Wesley Medical Research Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Equipment for naturalistic sleep-wake, circadian rhythm, and stress measurement
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2017
    Professional Development Package and Resources for Guiding Sleep Practices in Early Childhood Education and Care Services (through the State of QLD (acting through the Dept of Education and Training))
    Queensland University of Technology
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Choosing rest: finding effective alternatives to mandates rest-times in ECEC services
    Education Horizon
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Designing healthy and efficient luminous environments in Green Buildings (ARC Linkage Project Administered by Queensland University of Technology)
    Queensland University of Technology
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Treating Insomnia Co-morbid with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (COMISA): A randomized controlled clinical effectiveness trial (NHMRC Project Grant administered by Flinders University of South Australia)
    Flinders University
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2010
    Motivational Interviewing (MI) to improve adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS): a randomized control clinical trial
    ResMed Foundation Limited
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2008
    Bright light effects on sleepiness and hazard perception
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2007
    Nurse implemented motivational interviewing to improve adherence to CPAP therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: A randomised control
    Prince Charles Hospital Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2007
    Sleepiness and hazard perception while driving
    Australian Transport Safety Bureau
    Open grant
  • 2005
    Motivational Interviewing to Improve Adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome: A Randomized Control Clinical Trial
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2004
    Mental Health In Obstructive Sleep Apnoea-Hypopnea Syndrome
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Simon Smith is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Role of Heart Rate Variability in Fatigue Assessment: A Multimodal Approach

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Cassandra Pattinson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Return to safe driving after upper limb surgery

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Shamsi Shekari Soleimanloo

  • Master Philosophy

    The impact of digital technology use on sleep and wellbeing in young children

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Signifiance of Nap Cessation for Children's Social-emotional Functioning

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Peter Rankin, Professor Karen Thorpe, Associate Professor Sally Staton

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep, Health, and Social Consequences of Precarious Employment.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Kalina Rossa

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Improving sleep health in young adults

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Pattinson, Dr Kalina Rossa

  • Master Philosophy

    The 24 hour movement behaviours and the impact on children's developmental outcomes

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Role of Heart Rate Variability in Fatigue Assessment: A Multimodal Approach

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Cassandra Pattinson, Dr Shamsi Shekari Soleimanloo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Improving sleep health in young adults

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Pattinson, Dr Kalina Rossa

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Improving sleep health in young adults

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Pattinson, Dr Kalina Rossa

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep, Health, and Social Consequences of Precarious Employment.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Kalina Rossa

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Return to safe driving after upper limb surgery

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep, Health, and Social Consequences of Precarious Employment.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kalina Rossa, Dr Dwayne Mann

  • Master Philosophy

    The impact of digital technology use on sleep and wellbeing in young children

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep, cognition and cerebrovascular functioning across the lifespan

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Jenna Taylor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Developmental Significance of Sleep Transitions in Early Childhood

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Associate Professor Sally Staton

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Co-design of a Psychological Therapy for Hypersomnia: Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Effectiveness

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Shannon Edmed

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Disentangling the relationship between sleep, stress and pain.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Paul Hodges, Dr Manuela Besomi Molina, Dr David Klyne

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep health promotion in Indigenous Australian communities: Untapped potential of Indigenous youth workers as 'Sleep Coaches'

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Janin Chandra, Dr Ahmed Mehdi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep health promotion in Indigenous Australian communities: Untapped potential of Indigenous youth workers as 'Sleep Coaches'

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Janin Chandra, Dr Ahmed Mehdi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep, cognition and cerebrovascular functioning across the lifespan

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Jenna Taylor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep health promotion in Indigenous Australian communities: Untapped potential of Indigenous youth workers as 'Sleep Coaches'

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Janin Chandra, Dr Ahmed Mehdi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sleep, cognition and cerebrovascular functioning across the lifespan

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Jenna Taylor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Health and social impacts of precarious work: the role of sleep and fatigue.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dwayne Mann, Dr Kalina Rossa

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Simon Smith directly for media enquiries about:

  • Biological Rhythms
  • Children's Health
  • Digital Child
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep
  • Sleep Disorders

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