Dr. Hannah Kirk is a Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne. She leads the Child Development and Digital Technologies (CDDT) Lab and is Deputy Director of the Neurodevelopment Research Theme. She holds a PhD in Psychological Sciences from Monash University.

Dr. Kirk’s research examines how emerging environmental factors such as digital technologies and global environmental change, shape children’s mental health, cognitive development, behaviour, and learning outcomes. Her work especially focuses on developmentally at-risk children, including neurodivergent children and children living in remote and rural communities. She is passionate about consumer-led research and works closely with children, families, educators, and clinicians to deliver co-designed, meaningful solutions.

She is the co-inventor of the world’s first game-based digital attention intervention for neurodivergent children. Now a globally used FDA and TGA approved Class 1 Medical Device. She is also leading pioneering research into the psychological impacts of environmental change on children, including the development and validation of the first tool to assess eco-anxiety in primary school-aged children.

Her work has been recognised with awards including the APS Thesis Award (2016), Monash Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (2018), NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2018–2022), and the BioMelbourne Network Emerging Leadership Award (2021). She was named one of ABC Radio National’s Top 5 Scientists in 2019 for her science communication and public engagement.

Dr Kirk has also held executive and consulting roles in the med-tech sector, including as Chief Research Officer at Tali Digital (2016-2018), where she led the development of novel digital health tools.