Associate Professor Christopher M Fisher is the Associate Dean of Learning & Teaching for VU College of Sport, Health and Engineering offerings at VU Online.
In this role, he provides academic, administrative, research and marketing leadership to achieve VU’s Strategic Plan. Christopher heads the Health portfolio, providing quality and assurance for the development and end-to-end delivery of the Graduate Certificates and/or Masters degrees in Public Health, Nursing and Mental Health.
Previously, Christopher fostered a higher degree by research teaching environment where innovation and creativity thrived, at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) at La Trobe University (2017-22). At ARCSHS, Christopher also lead a research program on young people’s sexual health and wellbeing, leading the National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health. He maintains adjunct positions with The Kirby Institute (UNSW), ARCSHS and Department of Health Promotion (University of Nebraska).
Prior to coming to Melbourne, Christopher lead teaching and research programs at Curtin University (2015-17), University of Nebraska Medical Center (2009-14) and Indiana University (2006-09).
Christopher has been successful in obtaining collaborative research income that totals more than $8 million (AUD). This world-leading research was funded by the Australian Department of Health, Victorian Department of Health, Western Australia Department of Health, the NHMRC, the NIH (US) and others.
Fisher, C.M. 6th National Survey of Secondary Students and Adolescent Sexual Health: Victoria Report (VIC-SSASH). Department of Health and Human Services, Victoria. 2020-2021. $42,672.
Hooker, L., Forsdike, K., Sutherland, G., Fisher, C.M., Henry N & Taft, A. Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence Against Women: Combining Evidence and Practice Knowledge for Policy Reform. Department of Social Services, Commonwealth of Australia 2020-2021. $789,699.
Fraser, S., Brown, G., Fisher, C.M., & Power, J. From Knowledge to Action: A Social Research Program to Inform Implementation of the National Blook Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategies. Department of Health, Commonwealth of Australia 2020-2023. $1,456,000.
Fisher, C.M. SxWell Sex-Ed Website. LifeStyles Healthcare 2017-2022. $213,250
Guy, R….Fisher, C.M.,…The Third Australian Study of Health and Relationships (ASHR3): A Nationally Representative Sexual Health Survey. NHMRC Project Grant 2019-2023. $2,251,192.
See more of Christopher's publications on the Victoria University Research Repository (VURR).
Kneip Pelster, A., Coleman, J.D., Jawed-Wessel, S., Herten-Rodriguez, L, Irwin, J. & Fisher, C.M. (2022). Breast cancer survivorship and script theory. Sexuality Research & Social Policy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00672-w
Fisher, C.M., Kauer, S., Singleton, A. & Walsh-Buhi (2022). An examination of sexual health information sources, knowldge and behaviours among Australina teens: A latent class analysis. Sexuality Research & Social Policy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00679-3
Connor, S., Edvardsson, K., Fisher, C.M., & Spelten, E. (2021). Perceptions and interpretation of contemporary masculinities: A systematic review. American Journal of Men’s Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883211061009
Kerr, L., Jones, T. & Fisher, C.M. (2021). Alleviating gender dysphoria: A qualitative study of perspectives of trans and gender diverse people. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy. https://doi.org/10.1177/13558196211013407
Ezer, P., Fisher, C.M., Jones, T. & Power, J. (2021). Changes in sexuality education teacher training since the release of the Australian Curriculum. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-020-00520-3
Kauer, S. & Fisher, C.M. (2022). Victorian young people and sexual health 2018: Findings from the 6th national survey of secondary students and sexual health. (ARCSHS Monograph Series No. 131) La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria.
Hooker, L., Ison, J., Henry, N., Fisher, Fisher, C.M., Forsdike, K., Young, F., Korsmeyer, H., O’Sullivan, G. & Taft, A. (2021). Primary prevention of sexual violence and harassment against women and girls: Combining evidence and practice knowledge – final report and theory of change. La Trobe University.
Fisher, C.M. & Kauer, S. (2019). National survey of Australian secondary students and sexual health 1992 – 2018: Trends over time, (ARCSHS Monograph Series No. 118), Bundoora; Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University.
Fisher, C.M., Kauer, S., Waling, A., Bellamy, R., Ezer, P., Kerr, L., Brown, G., & Lucke, J. (2019). Western Australian survey of secondary students and sexual health 2018, (ARCSHS Monograph Series No. 115), Bundoora; Australia Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University.
Fisher, C. M., Waling, A., Kerr, L., Bellamy, R., Ezer, P., Mikolajczak, G., Brown, G., Carman, M. & Lucke, J. (2019). 6th National Survey of Australian Secondary Students and Sexual Health 2018, (ARCSHS Monograph Series No. 113), Bundoora: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University.
Bradfield, K., Kang, M., Marson, K., Torney, L. & Fisher, C.M. (2021). Is ‘consent education’ the solution to addressing sexual violence in Australia? Symposium, 25th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health (virtual).
Fields, J., Newman, C., Fisher, C.M., Byron, P., Darnell, C. & Wishart, E. (2021). Developing sexual literacy among adults and youth. Symposium, Australasian Sexual Health Conference (virtual).
Fisher, C.M., Ezer, P., Kauer, S., Ion, J., Taft, A. & Hooker, L. (2021). “I was indifferent about it…”: A missed methods exploration of young people’s reasons for experience unwanted sexual events. Australasian Sexual Health Conference (virtual).
Fisher, C.M., Kauer, S., Singleton, A. & Walsh-Buhi (2020). Australian Adolescent sexual health information-seeking types. Joint Australasian HIV & AIDS and Sexual Health Conference, Virtual.
Swan, J., Kauer, S. & Fisher, C.M. (2020). Consistently inconsistent: The correlation between sexual identity, sexual behaviour and sexual attraction as measures of sexual orientation. Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (virtual).
Packer, C. (2021, 1 December). Are schools safe for LGBTQIA+ students? UpStart. Retrieved from https://www.upstart.net.au/are-schools-safe-for-lgbtqia-students/
Dexter, R. (2021, 30 October). ‘Absolutely huge’: Is Melbourne set for a #hotvaxsummer? The Age. Retrieved from: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/absolutely-huge-is-melbourne-set-for-a-hotvaxsummer-20211026-p5939c.html
Choahan, N. (2021, 17 September). Push to make sexual consent education compulsory in Australian curriculum to stem assaults. ABC News. Retrieved from: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-17/consent-education-australian-curriculum-teach-us-consent/100449910
Murphy, C. (2021, 26 May). Riddled with syphilis: The other epidemic currently affecting Aussies. Mamamia Podcasts. Retrieved from: https://player.fm/series/the-quicky/riddled-with-syphilis-the-other-epidemic-currently-affecting-aussies
Motherwell, S. (2021, 10 May). How and when parents should talk to their kids about consent. ABC News. Retrieved from: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-10/how-when-do-you-talk-to-a-child-about-consent/100120714
