Alicia Allan

Dr Alicia Allan is a Research Fellow specialising in sleep and circadian health, with multidisciplinary expertise spanning psychology, health, and design. Her research focuses on how sleep occurs in context, with particular interests in pre-bed evening routines, and the role of light and environmental factors in shaping circadian function, behaviour, and wellbeing across the lifespan. Dr Allan received her PhD from QUT in 2016, where her thesis examined social and environmental determinants of sleep health in older adults and within community dementia care. She has since contributed to a range of interdisciplinary projects, including ARC and NHMRC funded research, and previously held a postdoctoral position in the QUT School of Design investigating the effects of indoor light environments on building occupants.

Her work is characterised by strong methodological expertise in real-world, multimodal assessment of human behaviour. She has extensive experience using ambulatory monitoring, physiological measurement, environmental auditing, and large-scale survey methods to examine sleep, circadian health, light exposure, and broader social and physical environmental influences. Dr Allan has worked with diverse populations, including children, young adults, office workers, older adults, and individuals with neurological conditions. Through applied and interdisciplinary research, Dr Allan aims to inform evidence-based lifestyle practices and built environment design strategies that support sleep, circadian health, and overall wellbeing across the lifespan.