Bonnie is a teaching and research academic within the School of Human Sciences (Exercise & Sport Science) at UWA. She maintains a clinical role as Senior Exercise Physiologist and Service Lead at Fremantle Hospital Mental Health Service, and as the Founder and CEO of Thriving in Motion. 

She leads the Mental Health and Exercise Group (MHEX) within the School of Human Sciences at UWA.

Recent achievements include awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2022), ESSA Practice of the Year 2020 (Thriving in Motion), Winner AUSActive National Award - Most Inclusive and Diverse Program (2024) and Practitioner Award - Exercise + Sport Science Australia Research to Practice (2024).

She is heavily involved in the teaching and training of postgraduate students working towards accreditation as Exercise Physiologists (allied health), and is active within the exercise and health industry holding a number of industry roles.

As a clinically informed and integrated researcher, Dr Furzer's community exercise and health activities have been supported with over AUD4.5M funding from various prestigious and competitive schemes.

Select Grants:   Total value of funding received = ~$4.5mil

• 2024 - 2026: Healthway Research Grant, Supporting sport participation of young people with chronic conditions; $74,995
• 2024 - 2028: Medical Research Futures Fund - National research Collaboration - Improving health outcomes via the Australian Research Consortium for Trans Youth and Children ($4.9MIL)

• 2013– 2025: Telethon7 Trust Grants (confidential amount), including “Thriving in Motion: Building strong and healthy young people through exercise” (service & research grants), “Auditory processing and rhythmic exercise” (Research Grant), “Thriving Mental Health First Aid Training” (Service), “Move it for Mental Health” (Service)

• 2023 – 2025: Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries Inclusive Participation Grant ($300,000) and Stan Perron Community Grant ($300,000) – “Youth Moves: inclusive, community-based active recreation program for disengaged and/or vulnerable WA adolescents and young people (12-25yrs)”

• 2023: Medibank Strategic Support Fund – UNSW ($140,000) – “Feasibility evidence and program expansion of an on-campus exercise program for students with mental health problems”
• 2022 - 2023: IgnitED Seed Funding, Australian Government National Leadership in Mental Health Program–National Eating Disorder Research Centre ($25,000) “Eating and Exercise Behaviours in Trans People”

Lead of "Mental Health & Exercise Research Group (MHEX)"

This research group is exploring exercise in the management of physical and mental health outcomes for those living with, or at risk of, mental ill health, and is a collaboration between a team at UWA and UNSW (Led by Dr Kemi Wright).

Exercise is beneficial and therapeutic for patients across multiple areas of health and wellbeing, but how to support individuals to be active, improve health outcomes and embed exercise within care pathways is yet to be established.

Current projects include:

• Move your mind: exercise to support the physical and mental health of individuals within mental health services
• Stride: An on-campus referral-based exercise program from students with mental health problems
• Exercise and Eating Behaviours, and Health in Trans & Gender Diverse Folk
• Human Thriving in Recurring Potentially Traumatic, Elevated Threat and High Stress Work Environments
• Exercise interventions to support youth with mental illness transitioning between child, adolescent, and adult mental health services.
• Disordered Eating and Exercise Behaviours in Mental Health Care
• Auditory Cued Exercise Therapy for Children with Listening Difficulties
• Eating Disorder Treatment Models for Trans and Gender Diverse People. 

Exercise to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people with unique needs.

Projects include:

• Thriving Families: family-based education program to support children and their families to engage with community-based physical activity initiatives
• Exercise for children with neurodevelopmental, emotional and/or behavioural disorders
• Auditory Cued Exercise Therapy for Children with Listening Difficulties and Neurodevelopmental Conditions
• Exercise in child and adolecent gender diversity services

Exercise to improve outcomes in chronic &/or complex conditions.

Current projects include:

• Musculoskeletal Function, Health & Patient Rated Outcomes in Active Adults
• Generations in Motion

Her teaching expertise and experience is within Clinical Exercise Physiology, within School of Human Science (Exercise & Sport Science), primarily at the Postgraduate, level including:

• Chronic & Complex Conditions (incl cancer, pulmonary, osteoporosis, age related events)
• Brain and Behaviour
• Neurological Rehabilitation
• Evidence Based Practice 
• Diverse Populations + Settings
• Advanced Exercise Rehabilitation

Bonnie has been awarded Senior Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy, and continues to play a role in the mentor and assessment activities regarding to the Academcy Fellowship Scheme at UWA.