Associate Professor Tom Aechtner
Associate Professor in Religion and Science, Acting Discipline Convenor for Studies in Religion
+61 7 336 52823
Room E322, Forgan Smith Building (1)
Research Interests
My work lies in contemporary science-and-religion discourse, with a focus on religiously-motivated vaccine hesitancies, antievolutionism, scientism, mass persuasion, and public perceptions of science. I also have secondary research interests associated with religion in the African diaspora, Pentecostalism, and Global Christianity.
Current Research Project
I am currently a Westpac Research Fellow, working on the project “Improving Vaccination Rates in Australia: Analysing Media, Religion and Policy.” This involves researching Australian-specific sources of vaccine hesitancies, including media persuasion and religious concerns, while considering how to positively deliver vaccination information.
| Featured projects | Duration |
|---|---|
|
Improving Vaccination Rates in Australia: Analysing Media, Religion and Policy Westpac Bicentennial Foundation Research Fellowship |
2017–2019 |
| Vaccine Uptake Challenges and Mass Persuasion | 2020 |
|
Teaching science-religion conflict Summer Research Scholarship |
2015–2016 |