Overview
Background
Research Interests
Associate Professor Aechtner's research analyses religion and science scepticism and science-religion discourse, with a focus on vaccine hesitancy, antievolutionism, scientism, mass persuasion, and public perceptions of science. He also has secondary research interests associated with religion in the African diaspora, Pentecostalism, and Global Christianity.
Current Research Project
Tom has been a Westpac Research Fellow and a UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award recipient on the project “Improving Vaccination Rates in Australia: Analysing Media, Religion and Policy.” This has involved researching Australian-specific sources of vaccine hesitancy, including media persuasion and religious concerns, while considering how to positively deliver vaccination information.
Availability
- Associate Professor Tom Aechtner is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Alberta
- Masters (Research), University of Calgary
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford
Research interests
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Religion and Science
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Science scepticism
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Antievolution
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Creationism and Intelligent Design
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Vaccine Hesitancy
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Antivaccination
Research impacts
Associate Professor Aechtner created AVAXX101, the first massive open online course dedicated to responding to antivaccination claims and vaccine hesitancy. He has also served as a technical advisor to Queensland Health’s Strategic Communications Branch, and he designed UQ’s VaccinationChoice website. Tom’s book, Media and Science-Religion Conflict: Mass Persuasion in the Evolution Wars (2020), won the International Society for Science & Religion’s 2021 prize for best academic book. His most recent book is Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy: A Professional Guide to Foster Trust and Tackle Misinformation. He holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford, an MA from the University of Calgary, and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Alberta.
Works
Search Professor Tom Aechtner’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Bibliometric analysis of vaccine hesitancy research from behavioural perspectives (2015-2022)
Acharya, Shruti, Aechtner, Thomas, Venaik, Sunil and Dhir, Sanjay (2024). Bibliometric analysis of vaccine hesitancy research from behavioural perspectives (2015-2022). Journal of Risk Research, 27 (2), 238-253. doi: 10.1080/13669877.2024.2317318
2023
Book
Antivaccination and vaccine hesitancy: A professional guide to foster trust and tackle misinformation
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Antivaccination and vaccine hesitancy: A professional guide to foster trust and tackle misinformation. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550
2023
Book Chapter
Understanding vaccination and antivaccination
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Understanding vaccination and antivaccination. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 1-27) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-1
2023
Book Chapter
Suspicious hesitancy
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Suspicious hesitancy. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 66-95) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-3
2023
Book Chapter
Better advocacy
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Better advocacy. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 164-189) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-6
2023
Book Chapter
Why do people have vaccine hesitancy?
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Why do people have vaccine hesitancy?. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 28-65) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-2
2023
Book Chapter
Questioning safety
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Questioning safety. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 96-129) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-4
2023
Book Chapter
Starting strong
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Starting strong. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 130-163) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-5
2022
Journal Article
Religion, trust, and vaccine hesitancy in Australia: an examination of two surveys
Aechtner, Thomas and Farr, Jeremy (2022). Religion, trust, and vaccine hesitancy in Australia: an examination of two surveys. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 35 (3), 218-244. doi: 10.1558/jasr.22476
2022
Journal Article
Evolving religion-science perspectives of the Bhaktivedanta Institute and ISKCON
Zambon, Oliver and Aechtner, Thomas (2022). Evolving religion-science perspectives of the Bhaktivedanta Institute and ISKCON. Nova Religio, 25 (3), 57-86. doi: 10.1525/nr.2022.25.3.57
2022
Journal Article
COVID-19 vaccine uptake: A précis of formative research findings about Queenslanders
Raciti, Maria, Brosnan, Kylie, Lagasca, Carmela, Gordon, Ross and Aechtner, Thomas (2022). COVID-19 vaccine uptake: A précis of formative research findings about Queenslanders. Australian Association of Social Marketing Viewpoint, 11 (1), 6-8.
2021
Other Outputs
Vaccine deniers are a minority in Australia, but a successful rollout hinges on facts and honesty
Aechtner, Thomas (2021, 01 14). Vaccine deniers are a minority in Australia, but a successful rollout hinges on facts and honesty The Guardian
2021
Book Chapter
Science
Aechtner, Thomas (2021). Science. Brill's Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism. (pp. 568-571) edited by Michael Wilkinson, Conny Au, Jörg Haustein and Todd M. Johnson . Leiden, Netherlands: Brill.
2021
Journal Article
Creationism with an Australian accent: Politics, schools, and global exportation
Aechtner, Thomas (2021). Creationism with an Australian accent: Politics, schools, and global exportation. Almagest, 12, 124-148. doi: 10.1484/j.almagest.5.125388
2020
Journal Article
Distrust, danger, and confidence: a content analysis of the Australian Vaccination-Risks Network Blog
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Distrust, danger, and confidence: a content analysis of the Australian Vaccination-Risks Network Blog. Public Understanding of Science, 30 (1), 963662520963258-35. doi: 10.1177/0963662520963258
2020
Journal Article
Improving evolution advocacy: translating vaccine interventions to the evolution wars
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Improving evolution advocacy: translating vaccine interventions to the evolution wars. Zygon, 55 (1), 27-51. doi: 10.1111/zygo.12577
2020
Book
Media and science-religion conflict: mass persuasion in the evolution wars
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Media and science-religion conflict: mass persuasion in the evolution wars. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429356544
2020
Journal Article
Cues, values and conflict: reassessing evolution wars media persuasion
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Cues, values and conflict: reassessing evolution wars media persuasion. Scientia et Fides, 8 (2), 249-284. doi: 10.12775/SETF.2020.021
2020
Other Outputs
Uq vaccination choice
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Uq vaccination choice. St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2019
Journal Article
Convergent antievolutionism and the Hare Krishnas
Aechtner, Thomas and Zambon, Oliver (2019). Convergent antievolutionism and the Hare Krishnas. Theology and Science, 17 (3), 292-296. doi: 10.1080/14746700.2019.1632516
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Tom Aechtner is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Technologies of Presence: Practices of Mediation among Pentecostals in Queensland
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ryan Williams
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Doctor Philosophy
An Investigation into the socio-cultural and/or religious influences on Young Earth Creationism in Queensland in the 1970s and early 1980s
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Peter Harrison, Dr Ryan Williams
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Doctor Philosophy
Islam and Queensland: assessing generational patterns
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ryan Williams
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Darkness & Light: A Myth Analysis of Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada's Early Discourse on Science
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Adam Bowles
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
A Mimetic Reading of Capital Punishment in the Pentateuch
Principal Advisor
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2018
Master Philosophy
Finding Peace in the Evolution Wars: An Examination of Australian Baptist Lecturers' Views on Evolution, Creation, and Creationism
Principal Advisor
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Measuring miracles in young-earth creationism
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Peter Harrison
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Origins of the "Conflict Thesis": Draper, White, and the Protestant Tradition
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Peter Harrison, Associate Professor Ian Hesketh
Media
Enquiries
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