Chief Examiner & Lecturer

• 2025: FIT5125 (Sem 2, SSB)
• 2024: FIT4005 (Sem 1 & 2)
• 2023: FIT4008 (Sem 1 & 2); FIT2002 (Sem 2)
• 2022: FIT4008 (Sem 1 & 2); FIT2002 (Sem 2 & Oct)
• 2021: FIT5125 (Sem 1 & Oct); FIT4441 (Sem 1 & 2); FIT4008 (Sem 1 & 2)
• 2020: FIT5125 (Sem 1 & Nov)
• 2019: FIT5125 (Sem 1 & 2)

Patrick Olivier is Professor of Human-Computer Interaction in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University, Founding Director of Action Lab, and Professor of Digital Health at Monash University Malaysia.

Patrick is an internationally recognised expert in human-computer interaction (HCI) and is the most-published researcher ever at the ACM Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), the premier international venue for research in human-computer interaction, and his work has received multiple ACM Best Paper and Honourable Mention awards. 

His research explores how human-centred design and digital technologies can address complex societal challenges. His work spans digital health and wellbeing, interaction design, collaborative systems, and participatory approaches to technology development, with particular expertise in mental health, family health, public health, nutrition, and community-led innovation.

Over a career spanning more than three decades across the United Kingdom, Australia, and Southeast Asia, Patrick has established and led major interdisciplinary research centres, including founding Newcastle University’s Open Lab and serving as Director of the EPSRC Digital Economy Research Centre. Since joining Monash in 2018, he has led the development of Action Lab as a globally connected centre for research (Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia) at the intersection of design, technology, health, and social impact.

Patrick’s research has helped shape contemporary thinking in human-computer interaction around participatory design, digital civics, community-centred innovation, and the translation of digital technologies into complex real-world settings. His work has contributed to the emergence of implementation-focused approaches that integrate human-centred design, participatory methods, and implementation science to support the adoption and sustained use of digital technologies in health and public services.

Beyond his research contributions, he has played a significant role in shaping the international HCI community through leadership positions, including General Chair of ACM Designing Interactive Systems (DIS), ACM MobileHCI, ACM COMPASS, ACM TVX, and ACM Ubicomp, as well as service on the steering committees of ACM Ubicomp and ACM COMPASS.

Patrick combines methodological innovation with a strong commitment to implementation and impact. His research is characterised by the design, deployment, and evaluation of real-world digital systems developed in partnership with governments, healthcare providers, community organisations, and industry. His work has informed the development and implementation of digital mental health interventions, dietary assessment platforms, health service navigation tools, participatory data governance infrastructures, and community engagement technologies used across healthcare and public services.

Patrick’s innovation activities include founding two technology companies: Lexicle Ltd., which developed one of the first commercially deployed embodied conversational agents, and Axivity Ltd., whose wearable sensors are among the most widely used physical activity monitors in clinical and epidemiological research worldwide. Through his research and entrepreneurial activities, he has contributed to technologies that have been translated into practice across health systems, government services, and community organisations internationally.

He has secured substantial competitive research funding throughout his career. Since joining Monash in 2018, Patrick has led or contributed to 48 externally funded projects with a combined value exceeding A$67 million, including more than A$40 million for Monash University. His current portfolio includes 10 Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) projects, two Australian Research Council (ARC) projects, two National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) projects, a Wellcome Trust programme, a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Medical Research Council (MRC) award, a Horizon Europe project, and the CSIRO Next Generation Graduates Program in AI and Mental Health, reflecting sustained success across major national and international competitive funding schemes. Prior to joining Monash, he secured 59 externally funded awards at Newcastle University, including 28 projects as primary investigator that generated approximately A$24 million for Newcastle and a further 31 projects as co-investigator, contributing approximately A$42 million.

Patrick currently leads and contributes to major national and international initiatives focused on digital mental health, AI-enabled health systems, healthy ageing, dietary assessment, community voice and engagement, and participatory data governance. His recent work emphasises responsible approaches to artificial intelligence and the integration of implementation science and human-centred design to support the successful adoption of digital technologies across healthcare and public services.

Across all of his research, Patrick is committed to working in partnership with people with lived experience, practitioners, policymakers, and communities to ensure that technological innovation delivers tangible and lasting benefits for society.

Digital Health, Co-design, Implementation Science, Technology-Enhanced Learning, Collaborative Computing, Social Computing, Human-Computer Interaction.

Digital Health, Co-design, Implementation Science, Technology-Enhanced Learning, Collaborative Computing, Social Computing, Human-Computer Interaction