Honorary Professor Robert Newton

Honorary Professor

School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences

Overview

Professor Robert Newton, PhD, DSc, AEP, CSCS*D, FACSM, FESSA, FNSCA

Professor Robert Newton is Professor of Exercise Medicine in the Exercise Medicine Research Institute that he established (2004) at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia. Prior to appointment at Edith Cowan University, Professor Newton was Director of the Biomechanics Laboratory, at Ball State University in Indiana, and was visiting research fellow at the Pennsylvania State University, in the Center for Sports Medicine. Current major research directions include: exercise medicine as neoadjuvant, adjuvant and rehabilitative cancer therapy to reduce side-effects and enhance effectiveness of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy; the influence of targeted exercise medicine on tumour biology and exercise medicine for reducing decline in quality of life, strength, body composition and functional ability in cancer patients.

Professor Newton is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction with the NSCA, Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, Fellow of Exercise and Sports Science Australia and Fellow of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), Member of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, American Society of Clinical Oncology and American College of Sports Medicine. In 2004 he was awarded Outstanding Sports Scientist of the Year by the NSCA. In 2018 he received the career achievement award from the Cancer Council WA and was a finalist for Western Australian of the Year and finalist for the Premier’s Science Award. In 2019, Professor Newton was named the Western Australian Premier’s Scientist of the Year. In 2021, The University of Queensland awarded Professor Newton a Higher Doctorate (DSc) for his research into exercise oncology. Professor Newton was a finalist in the Research Australia Health and Medical Research Awards for 2021 and received a Highly Commended Frontiers Award.

Professor Newton has supervised 8 postdoctoral fellows, 52 PhD, 26 Masters by Research and 3 Honours students to successful completion. He is currently supervising 5 PhD students and 2 Masters students.

Professor Newton has published over 1,000 scientific papers including 550 refereed scientific journal articles, 490 conference abstracts and papers, three books, 17 book chapters and has a current Scopus h-Index of 96 with his work being cited over 32,000 times. Topic of greatest publication output is exercise and cancer for a field-weighted citation impact of 3.00 and prominence percentile of 99.31. As of 2024 Professor Newton had attracted 258 competitive research grants valued at $50,773,064 including NHMRC, PCFA, Cancer Australia and World Cancer Research Fund International.

Qualifications

  • Doctoral (Research) of Clinical Exercise Physiology, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy of Exercise and Sports Sciences, Southern Cross University
  • Masters (Coursework), The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor, The University of Queensland

Publications

View all Publications

Publications

Book Chapter

  • Kraemer, William J., Ratamess, Nicholas A., French, Duncan H. and Newton, Robert U. (2021). Modern theories of strength and power training for men and women. The Dynamics of Modern Rugby. (pp. 43-55) edited by Bruce Davies and Julien Baker. New York, NY United States: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003159537-5-5

  • Newton, Robert (2015). Instrumentation: calibration and standardization. ACSM's Research Methods. (pp. 263-282) edited by Lawrence E. Armstrong and William J. Kraemer. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Wolters Kluwer Health Adis.

  • Skinner, Tina, Haff, Greg and Newton, Robert (2014). Neuromuscular Strength, Power and Strength Endurance. ESSA’s Student Manual for Health, Exercise and Sport Assessment. (pp. 133-173) edited by Jeff Coombes and Tina Skinner. Chatswood, NSW Australia: Elsevier.

  • Galvao, D. A., Taaffe, D. R., Spry, N. and Newton, R. U. (2011). Physical activity and genitourinary cancer survivorship. Physical activity and cancer. (pp. 217-236) edited by P. M. Schlag, H.-J. Senn, P. Kleihues, F. Stiefel, B. Groner, A. Wallgren and P. Rentchnik. New York, United States: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-04231-7_9

  • Fry, Andrew C. and Newton, Robert U. (2008). A Brief History of Strength Training and Basic Principles and Concepts. Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science: Strength Training for Sport. (pp. 1-19) Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9780470698754.ch1

  • Hasegawa, Hiroshi, Dziados, Joseph, Newton, Robert U., Fry, Andrew C., Kraemer, William J. and Häkkinen, Keijo (2008). Periodized Training Programmes for Athletes. Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science: Strength Training for Sport. (pp. 69-134) Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9780470698754.ch5

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

  • Newton, Robert Usher (2021). Exercise medicine as neoadjuvant, adjuvant and rehabilitative therapy for cancer. Higher Doctorate, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland.

  • Barry, Benjamin, Groeller, Herb, Morris, Norm, Worringham, Charles, Raynor, Annette, Newton, Robert, Engstrom, Craig, Hay, Peter, Long, Philip, Jones, Philip, Moore, Keri, Ben-Naim, Dror, Hobson-Powell, Anita, Sharman, Melanie and Gillam, Ian (2011). Simulated learning environment exercise physiology curriculum report. Health Workforce Australia Simulated Learning Environments Sydney: Health Workforce Australia.