Active Living Laboratory was founded and led by Dr Sandra Mandic at University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand in 2013 as the overarching theme for Dr Mandic’s academic research portfolion The laboratory was officially closed on 30 September 2023 with Dr Mandic’s departure from University of Otago and official closure of the laboratory’s landmark research programme BEATS. This web page provides key historic information about the Active Living Laboratory work and team members during the 2011-2023 period. For more information, contact Dr Sandra Mandic.

Overview

The Active Living Laboratory strived to create a healthier and more sustainable future through:

  • Establishing multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaborations
  • The delivery of community-centred research studies
  • Sharing scientific findings with decision makers, local organisations and the wider community
  • Developing leading policy recommendation documents and publications

The Active Living Laboratory offered a vibrant research environment and opportunity to be involved in multidisciplinary research projects. Research areas included Physical Activity, Public Health, Built Environment, Transportation and Sustainability.

The main goals of the Active Living Laboratory were to advance knowledge in high priority issues related to population health and transport and to facilitate collaborations across multiple disciplines and sectors. Those goals were achieved through a community participatory research approach and the comprehensive dissemination of research findings through reports to stakeholders, journal articles, conference abstracts and organisation of symposia.

The research team included extensive international and national collaborations across exercise science, public health, education, transport and urban design sectors.

Key Research Projects

Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Research ProgrammeBEATS Natural Experiment (2019-2023)
BEATS Rural Study (2018-2019)
BEATS Study (2013-2017)
Check out BEATS Research Programme Report 2013-2020
Cycle Skills TrainingEvaluation of Cycle Skills Training Programme (2015-2017)
Adolescents’ LifestyleOtago School Students Lifestyle Survey (2009-2012)
Cardiac RehabilitationCommunity-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation: 5-Year Follow-up (2017)
Long-term effects of cardiac rehabilitation in elderly individuals (2011-2012)
Community-based cardiac rehabilitation: Prospective observational study (2009-2012)

All Active Living Laboratory research projects listed above were initiated and led by Dr Sandra Mandic.

Contribution to Other Research Initiatives

‘Turning the Tide – from Cars to Active Transport’ Report: Policy Recommendations
(New Zealand)
This report considers the health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling and sets out a clear set of actions to get us out of our cars and living healthier lives. The development of this report and policy recommendations was a multidisciplinary and cross-sector endeavour and one of the outcomes of The Active Living and Environment Symposium (TALES) 2019. The report was developed by a group of leading New Zealand and international experts who work in the active transport field. Dr Sandra Mandic initiated and led this project.
* Full report: ”Turning the Tide – from Cars to Active Transport” 
* Brief report: ”Key Policy Recommendations for Active Transport”
* Scientific journal article: “Development of Key Policy Recommendations for Active Transport in New Zealand: Multi-Sector and Multidisciplinary Endeavour”
New Zealand Physical Activity Report Card for Children and Youth
(New Zealand)
This ongoing national project involves working together with several experts from different New Zealand universities and organisations. Next report card will be released in 2021/2022. Dr Sandra Mandic was part of the project team during the 2015-2023 period.
* New Zealand Physical Activity Report Card 2022
* New Zealand Physical Activity Report Card 2018
* New Zealand Physical Activity Report Card 2016
PACO & PACA Study
(Cycling and Walking to and from School)

(Spain)
PACO & PACA Study is a collaborative active transport research project led by Associate Professor Susana Aznar Lain and the Promotion de la Actividad Fisica para la Salud (PAFS) group from the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Toledo, Spain).

Pedalea y Anda al COle: PACO Project 
(Spain)
Pedalea y Anda al COle: PACO Project (Cycling and Walking to School) is a collaborative research project led by Professor Palma Chillón from the University of Granada (Granada, Spain). Dr Sandra Mandic was a collaborator on this project during the 2016-2022 period.
Vai de Bike
(Brazil)
This project is led by Assistant Professor, Ricardo Brandão, coordinator of Laboratório de Vida Ativa – LaVA, from Rio de Janeiro State University (Brazil). Using a multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach, this project aims to examine the motivations and barriers associated with walking and cycling to school in the context of the Unified Health System in Brazilian municipalities. Dr Sandra Mandic is serves as an advisor on this project.

Active Living Laboratory Research Team (2011-2023)

Research studies conducted in the Active Living Laboratory were focused on and guided by the team’s collaborative partnership work with local organisations including schools, hospitals, city council and local community groups.

We also established research collaborations with universities in Canada, United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Brazil and other universities in New Zealand.

The Active Living Laboratory welcomed students and research collaborators with diverse backgrounds and interest in physical activity, public health, transport, built environment and/or sustainability.

Students had the opportunity to gain invaluable hands on research experience by getting involved in data collection methods, data management, technical report writing, working as part of a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral research team and presenting their research projects at symposia and conferences.

Active Living Laboratory hosted and trained 3 PhD students, 6 Master’s students, 7 Honours or Postgraduate Diploma students, 17 summer research students, 3 internship students and dozens of research assistants and volunteers.

The laboratory also hosted over dozen academic visitors from Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, Australia and Ecuador.

Dr Mandic was delighted to see many individuals come along to join the Active Living Laboratory team, get inspired and gain new insights and experiences from the always fascinating research journey!

Knowledge Dissemination Activities

The Active Living Laboratory proactively disseminated research findings in form of journal articles, abstracts, technical reports, symposium proceedings and other research outputs.

Research findings were disseminated to researchers in New Zealand and abroad as well as to policy makers, health promoters, transport professionals and community groups.

We hosted six BEATS Symposia and two international symposia (The Active Living and Environment Symposia (TALES) 2017 and 2019).

Our team published 27 issues of the quarterly Active Living Laboratory Newsletter during the 2016-2023 and regularly engaged with the media to share information about laboratory’s research activities and latest findings. (Dr Mandic continues to share information about latest BEATS Research outputs is through the AGILE Research Ltd. newsletter.)

Symposia Organisation

BEATS Symposia
(2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023)
BEATS Symposia were used as one of many avenues to communicate the BEATS Research findings to the wider community and to engage with our stakeholders. Findings shared at these symposia were relevant to academia, government, public health, urban design, the transportation and environment sectors.
The Active Living and Environment (TALES) Symposia
(2017 and 2019)
These international symposia were designed to facilitate and grow an international, multidisciplinary and multi-sector dialogue related to Active Living and Environment. The symposia brought together researchers, policy makers, health promoters, urban designers, transport experts and interested members of the public to network and exchange ideas.
”Turning the Tide – from Cars to Active Transport” report and policy recommendations for increasing active transport in New Zealand were the outcomes of the TALES Symposium 2019.

Acknowledgements

Active Living Laboratory research projects were funded by Health Research Council of New Zealand, National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, Lottery Health Research Grant, Dunedin City Council and grants from University of Otago.

Dr Sandra Mandic would like to thank all members of the Active Living Laboratory who came along, brought their positive energy to the team, contributed to our various research projects and activities, kept learning together and from each other, and helped us all create many wonderful lifetime friendships and memories!