Professor Rochelle Eime
Professor, Sport Sciences
Campus
Biography
Professor Rochelle Eime is a behavioural epidemiologist, Professor of Sport Science, and internationally recognised in industry-based community sport research. Her research focuses on trends in participation, including determinants of playing and drop-out, the health and wellbeing outcomes associated with participation, and recently the cost to play and deliver sport.
Rochelle is the Director of the Physical Activity and Sport Insights research group. She is ranked in the top 2% in the world of scientists – Sport Science, Elsevier and Stanford University citations listing.
Rochelle has contributed to the development of policy in the areas of sport participation, sports facilities and health. Her contribution has been recognised by over twenty international, national and state-based research awards in the domains of sport, government, academia, health and parks and leisure.
Rochelle has been an invited advisor and presenter at a wide range of international, national and local organisations. She is Deputy Chair of Vicsport, a member of the Aust Sports Commission Play Well Leadership group, and on the Board of Editors for the European Sport Management Quarterly journal.
As a leading research academic, Rochelle has secured over $11 million in external research income, including $7.8 million in the last five years.
Fields of research
- Sport and leisure management
More about Rochelle
Qualifications
- Executive Presence and Influence Course, INSEAD
- Diploma of Project Management, University of Ballarat
- PhD, Behavioural Epidemiology, Monash University
- Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours), Deakin University
Grants
- Eime, R., Owen, K., Charity, M. (2025–2026). Netball participation growth through retention. Netball Australia. ($100,000)
- Eime, R., Charity, M. (2025). Maribyrnong City Council Sport Participation. ($9,500)
- Owen, K., Eime, R. (2025–2027). Senior Research Fellowship. Australian Sports Commission. ($330,000)
- Eime, R., Charity, M., Owen, K. (2025–2026). Sport Participation Research Project. VicHealth; Sport and Recreation Victoria. ($170,000)
- Eime, R., Westerbeek, H., Owen, K. (2024–2025). Cost of sport: Understanding the cost of participation in sport. Australian Sports Commission. ($100,600)
- Eime, R., Charity, M., Westerbeek, H., Pankowiak, A. (2024–2025). Sport Participation Research Project. VicHealth; Sport and Recreation Victoria. ($170,000)
- Matzelle, R., Ring, D., Duffy, A., Morris, M., Eime, R., Speirs, S. (2023–2024). Economic and social impact analysis for major sports events: Development of sport investment model. MI‑Global Partners. Funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care – The Commonwealth of Australia. Funding not disclosed.
- Sabiston, C., Bradish, C., Legg, D., Bean, C., Van Ingen, C., Mack, D., Hayhurst, L., Baker, J., Ferguson, L., Norman, R., Chan, T., Bennett, E., Joseph, J., Dore, I., Bélanger, M.‑E., Mathieu, M., Holt, N., McHugh, T.‑L., Scherer, J., Strachan, L., Teetzel, S., Pila, E., Giles, A., Darroch, F., Eime, R., Lara‑Bercial, S. (2023–2030). Partnership for Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive Participation, Access, and Quality Experiences in Youth Sport (Sport4All). Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). ($2,500,000 CAD; $2,800,000 AUD)
- O’Boyle, I., Karg, A., Eime, R., Farmer, J. (2023–2026). Social impact and connection outcomes associated with community sport. ARC Linkage. ($557,080; total $1,706,551)
- Eime, R. (2023). Banyule City Council Sport Profile. Banyule City Council. ($9,500)
- Pankowiak, A., Eime, R. (2023–2025). VicHealth Fellowship. VicHealth. ($225,000)
- Casey, M., Porter, J., Eime, R. (2022). Improving physical activity among women in the City of Casey using a co‑design approach. City of Casey. ($40,670)
- Westerbeek, H., Eime, R., Pankowiak, A. (2022). Evaluation plan. Australian Sports Foundation. ($24,000)
- Porter, J.E., Peck, B., Prokopiv, V., Eime, R., Unsworth, C., Kemel, P., Prezioso, M., Remedios, L. (2022). Evaluation of the youth‑led Gippsland Bushfire Recovery Project. Latrobe Youth Space Inc. ($100,000)
- Eime, R., Westerbeek, H., Pankowiak, A., Charity, M. (2022–2023). Sport Participation Research Project. Sport and Recreation Victoria; VicHealth. ($340,000)
- Eime, R., Westerbeek, H., Pankowiak, A., Casey, M. (2021). Sport clubs’ volunteer capacity to drive women and girls’ participation in AFL. AFL Victoria. ($15,000)
- Eime, R., Westerbeek, H., Pankowiak, A., Casey, M. (2021). Sport clubs’ volunteer capacity to drive women and girls’ participation in community sport. Office for Women in Sport. ($24,720)
Awards
- 2023: Vice‑Chancellor’s Commendation Award, Research partnerships and impact, Federation University
- 2022: Citation for Research with Impact, Victoria University
- 2022: Winner – Parks and Leisure Australia, National Research Award: Sport Participation Research Project
- 2022: Winner – Best paper, Women in Sport Congress, Melbourne
- 2022: Winner – Parks and Leisure Australia (Vic/Tas) Research project award
- 2021: Winner – Vice‑Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research Impact and Engagement, Federation University
- 2019: Finalist – Parks and Leisure National Research Award
- 2019: Winner – Parks and Leisure Australia (Vic/Tas) Research project award
- 2018: Finalist – VicHealth Awards: Sport and Recreation Spatial
- 2017: Winner – VicHealth Awards: Sport and Recreation Spatial, Research into Action
- 2017: Winner – Victorian Sport Awards 2016, Sport and Recreation Spatial, Sport Development Initiative of the Year
- 2017: Winner – Women in Sport Award
- 2017: Winner – Parks and Leisure Australia National Research Award
- 2017: Winner – Parks and Leisure Australia (Vic/Tas) Research Project Award
- 2016: Winner – Vice‑Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, Entrepreneurship, Federation University
- 2016: Winner – Best Poster, Physical Activity and Health Promotion
- 2015: Finalist – VicHealth Awards – Sport and Recreation Spatial, Research into Action
- 2015: Winner – Best Poster, Physical Activity and Health Promotion, ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference
- 2013: Winner – Wendy Ey Women in Sport Award for Presentation, ACSMS 2013
- 2005: Winner – NSW Sporting Injuries Committee Award for Best Young Investigator, Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport
- 2003: Winner – Sport and Recreation Victoria, Safety Initiative Award for PhD project
Past
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Participation, retention and dropout of children and adolescents in club-based community tennis,' principal supervisor.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Active and healthy ageing in the community: the effect of a community based activity program on physical activity, health and wellbeing,' principal supervisor.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Spatial epidemiology of sports and recreational injuries,' associate supervisor.
- PhD student, Victoria University, 'Sport participation for the elderly,' principal supervisor.
- PhD student, Victoria University, 'Exploring the social responsibility of sports organisations,' associate supervisor.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'International students and social connectedness: The role sport can play,' principal supervisor.
- PhD student, Federation University, 'Exploring the development of sporting organisations for health promotion,' associate supervisor.
Specialist roles
• Director, Physical Activity and Sport Insights Research group (PASIglobal.com)
• Deputy Chair, VicSport
• Play Well Strategy Leadership Group, Australian Sports Commission
Physical Activity and Sport Insights (PASI)
- Publications
Motivations to be active in club-based sport compared to fitness centres
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1080/23750472.2023.2248139
A path for transforming esports into a health and performance domain
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2025.102973
Investigating the drivers of pro-social connection infrastructure in community sport
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1080/14413523.2025.2591389
The impact of sports participation on psychological health and social outcomes in children and adolescents: a systematic review and update to the "Mental Health through Sport" conceptual model
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1186/s13643-026-03104-1
