Laura is an Associate Professor in the School of Curriculum, Teaching and Inclusive Education in the Faculty of Education. Laura's research focuses on four key intersecting threads: i) student voice and agency; ii) teacher professional learning; iii) policy and curriculum; and iv) pedagogy. Her research is mainly focused on Health and Physical Education, and her work has led to shifts in policy, partnerships and practice that support inclusive and impactful health and physical education.

She publishes widely in top-ranking international journals and has won awards for both high quality authorship and reviewing.

Laura is on the Editorial Board for Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, Sport Education and Society, and the Journal of Teaching Physical Education. She is also on the International Advisory Board for European Physical Education Review and the College of Reviewers for Sport, Education and Society. She works closely with ACHPER (Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation) and is on the ACHPER Tertiary Engagement and Research subcommittee.

Across 2021/2022 Laura been awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion (for decolonising pre-service teacher education), the Dean's Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (for significant contributions to student learning through  influencing, motivating and inspiring students to learn), and the Jeff Northfield Memorial Award for Excellence in Teacher Research (for demonstrating an ongoing commitment to excellent teacher research). Laura has also been nominated for a Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Award (for outstanding contributions to student learning) and has been awarded a competitive Advancing Women's Success Grant which is awarded to “high potential academic women.”

Laura is an affliliate of the:

• Monash Sustainable Develpment Institute;
• National Center for Healthy Ageing; and
• Monash Addiction Research Centre 

Over the past 20 years, Laura has developed expertise in a range of innovative research methods, and has experience working with children, young people, teachers, coaches, not-for-profit organisations and policy-makers. Laura worked with colleagues to attract over $10 million in research and consultancy funding.

Recent publications include:

Alfrey, L., & Young, L. (2025). Student voice, expansive learning and transformative agency: an examination of the transformation of fitness testing pedagogies in Health and Physical Education. Sport, Education and Society, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2025.2592832

Alfrey, L. (2024). An expansive learning approach to transforming traditional fitness testing in health and physical education: student voice, feelings and hopes. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 15(1), 24–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2023.2183477

Alfrey, L., & O’Connor, J. (2024). Transforming physical education: an analysis of context and resources that support curriculum transformation and enactment. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 29(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2022.2028759