Dr. HANNAH ALTMAN
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Dr. HANNAH ALTMAN
BHS|BCOM|MPHIL|DPHIL
I recently completed my PhD in Experimental Sports, Health, and Behavioural Economics at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where I held a PhD scholarship. I am currently nominated for an outstanding doctoral thesis award. My PhD was supervised by Professor Benno Torgler (QUT) as the primary supervisor, with Associate Professor Robert Robergs (QUT) as an associate supervisor, and Professor Brad Humphreys (West Virginia University, WVU) as an external supervisor. I also spent time at WVU under Professor Humphreys' supervision.
In 2018, I completed a Master of Philosophy (Quantitative Sports Economics) at QUT, also under Professor Torgler's supervision. I currently lecture at QUT in Business and run Infinite Strength & Rehabilitation, a Brisbane-based exercise science business that I started during my master’s degree.
In 2017, I simultaneously completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics & Econometrics) at Victoria University of Wellington, where I was awarded a Victoria Plus Award, and a Bachelor of Health Science (Sports & Exercise Science) from Massey University of New Zealand, where I was awarded a Global Health Scholarship. I have over half a decade of international tertiary teaching experience in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and business statistics. My research interests are broad, covering sports, health, labour, behavioural, and co-operative economics. I also have a keen interest in consumer decision-making environments, co-operative organizational forms, and evidence-based insurance.
I have co-authored several working papers, including co-writing and editing with my father, Professor Morris Altman. I have multiple refereed publications, one edited book, and a forthcoming book in 2025. I have presented over 50 refereed papers at international conferences and am set to present papers in America, the UK, and India in 2024. What sets me apart is my decade-long career as a fitness professional, where I have held multiple roles from commercial gym manager to rehabilitation specialist and trainer working with various client groups. I currently run Infinite Strength & Rehabilitation and have just developed three unique apps coming to the app store in late 2024. I work as an Exercise Scientist and Strength Coach for my own brand, based out of Below Parallel in Brisbane, and hold a professional association (Fitrec) ranking of 300/300 as a fitness professional.
My industry work complements my longstanding commitment to sports, reflected in my career as a sprint kayaker and APA (IPF) powerlifter, coach, and referee. The convergence of these interests drives my motivation to ensure that evidence-based research informs health and sports policy.
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University Qualification Summary
2020-2024
Doctor of Philosophy
( Experimental Sports & Health Economics)
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Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
Thesis: "When Looks Matter: Errors in Decision-Making in the Health and Fitness Industry in a World of Asymmetric Information and Bounded Rationality."
Thesis Supervisory Team:
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Primary Supervisor: Benno Torgler, School of Economics and Finance.
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Secondary Supervisor: Rob Robergs, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Exercise Science and Nutrition.
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Non-QUT or External Supervisor: Brad Humphreys, Professor of Economics, John Chambers College Business School, West Virginia University.
I am currently nominated for an outstanding doctoral thesis. PhD Scholarship Award Winner.
2018-2020
Master of Philosophy
(Sports & Health Economics)
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Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Thesis: The Behavioural Economics of Organizational Inefficiency: The Example of the New Zealand Fitness Industry.
Thesis Supervisory Team:
Primary Supervisor: Benno Torgler, School of Economics and Finance.
Secondary Supervisor: Rob Robergs, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Exercise Science and Nutrition.
2013-2017
Bachelor of Commerce, major in Economics, minor in Econometrics, Victoria University of Wellington.
Victoria Plus Award
Faculty Delagte Award
2013-2017
Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in Sports and Exercise Science and Rehabilitation, Massey University of New Zealand.
Global Health Scholarship
Publications
Refereed Articles
Ho Fai Chan, Fabian Ulrich, Hannah Altman, Sascha L. Schmidt, Dominik Schreyer, Benno Togler (2022). Beyond performance? The importance of subjective and objective physical appearance in award nominations and receptions in football. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 204,271-289. DOI:10.1016/j.jebo.2022.10.022 .
Books
Behavioural Sports Economics: A Research Companion. Edited by Hannah Altman, Morris Altman and Benno Torgler. New York: Routledge (2021). https://www.routledge.com/Behavioural-Sports-Economics-A-Research-Companion/Altman-Altman-Torgler/p/book/9780367531843.
Forthcoming Books
Covid-19 and Public Policy: How to Kill Covid Without Killing the Economy. Morris Altman, Hannah Altman, Louise Lamontagne. Cheltenham, England: Edward Elgar (in progress for 2023).
Commissioned Reports for Government or Industry
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Altman, Morris, Louise Lamontagne, Francis Odhuno, and Hannah Altman (2021). Technical Report: The Role of Democratic Governance to Cooperative Economic Performance: An Analysis of Survey Data from Papua New Guinea No 193. NRI (National Research Institute). Port Moresby: Papua New Guinea. DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.15482.57284.
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Altman, Morris, Louise Lamontagne, Francis Odhuno, and Hannah Altman (2020). Productivity of Coffee Farmers’ Cooperatives in the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea: Evidence from Survey Data. Discussion Paper #177, NRI (National Research Institute). Port Moresby: Papua New Guinea. https://pngnri.org/images/Publications/Discussion_Paper_177.pdf.
Book Chapters (refereed)
Altman, Hannah, and Morris Altman (2022). Bounded Rationality and Sub-optimal Outcomes in the Health and Fitness Industry, in Morris Altman, ed. Handbook of Research Methods and Applications on Behavioural Economics. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, UK. (forthcoming).
Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2022). Obesity, Wellbeing, Freedom of Choice, and Institutional Change. In Morris Altman, ed., Constructing a More Scientific Economics: John Tomer’s Pluralistic in and Humanistic Economics. London, Palgrave/Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/9783030839277 .
Altman, Hannah, Stephen White and Benno Torgler (2021). Beauty and Professional Selection. In Hannah Altman, Morris Altman and Benno Torgler, eds., Behavioural Sports Economics: A Research Companion. New York: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Behavioural-Sports-Economics-A-Research-Companion/Altman-Altman-Torgler/p/book/9780367531843.
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Altman, Hannah & Morris Altman (2021). Moneyball and Decision-Making Heuristics: The Intersection of Statistics and Expertise. In Hannah Altman, Morris Altman and Benno Torgler, eds., Behavioural Sports Economics: A Research Companion. New York: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Behavioural-Sports-Economics-A-Research-Companion/Altman-Altman-Torgler/p/book/9780367531843.
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Altman, Hannah & Morris Altman (2021). X-inefficiency and Sports Performance. In Hannah Altman, Morris Altman and Benno Torgler, eds., Behavioural Sports Economics: A Research Companion. New York: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Behavioural-Sports-Economics-A-Research-Companion/Altman-Altman-Torgler/p/book/9780367531843.
Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2014). Behavioural Economics and Sports Physiology, in Encyclopaedia of Behavioural Economics. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, ABC-CLIO.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2014). Sports Economics and Performance Inefficiency, in Encyclopaedia of Behavioural Economics. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, ABC-CLIO.
Select Conferences Presentations
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Altman, Hannah, Queensland University of Technology; Benno Torgler, Queensland University of Technology and Brad R. Humphreys, West Virginia University, (2023). Is There a Beauty or Sexiness Effect in the Health and Fitness Industry? A Lab Based Experiment. Western Economics Association International, Portland Oregon, USA, July 2-6. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah, Queensland University of Technology; Benno Torgler, Queensland University of Technology and Brad R. Humphreys, West Virginia University, ( 2023.) Is There a Beauty or Sexiness Effect in the Health and Fitness Industry? A Lab Based Experiment. International Association for Research in Economic Psychology Conference, IAREP/ Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics Joint Conference, Nice, France, June 7-10, 2023. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah, Queensland University of Technology; Benno Torgler, Queensland University of Technology and Brad R. Humphreys, West Virginia University, Is There a Beauty or Sexiness Effect in the Health and Fitness Industry? A Lab Based Experiment. Western Economics Association International, Melbourne Australia, April 12-15. 2023. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Ho Fai Chan, Fabian Ulrich, Hannah Altman, Sascha L. Schmidt, Dominik Schreyer , and Benno Torgler (2022). Beyond Performance? Is the success of Beauty really the Beauty of Success? Or Does Physical Attractiveness Matter for Occupational Success? Award Nomination and Selection in Football. Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics Annual Conference, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA, Hosted by the University of Nevada, August 8-August 11, 2022. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Benno Torgler (2022). Beyond Performance: Is the success of Beauty really the Beauty of Success? Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics Annual Conference, PHD Pre-Conference. University of Nevada, Nevada, USA, August 6-7, 2022. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2022). Information Asymmetry & the Sexy Effect: The Example of the Health and Fitness Industry. Australian Conference of Economists, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, July 10- July 13, 2022. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2022). Beauty and Preferences Formation Exemplified in the Sports Market. Western Economics Association International, Portland Oregon, USA, June 29-July 3, 2022. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2022). Moneyball and Decision-Making Heuristics: An Intersection of Statistics and Practical Expertise. Western Economics Association International, Portland Oregon, USA, June 29-July 3, 2022. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah, Benno Torgler and Rob Robergs (2022). The Market for Lemon’s in the Health & Fitness Industry The Example of New Zealand, Aotearoa (NZ). International Association for Research in Economic Psychology Conference, IAREP Kristiansand, Norway, June 9-June 12, 2022. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2022). Behavioural Sports Economics and the Health & Fitness Industry: The Intersection of Economics & the Real World. Sports Biometrics Conference: where Data Science Meets Sports Science, Boston, March 23-24, 2022. Joint Presentation
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Altman, Hannah, Morris Altman and Louise Lamontagne (2020). A Gender Model of Female Outcomes: Empowering, Framing, and Decision-making Environment and Key Determinants of Female Wellbeing. Australian Gender Economics Workshop, Brisbane, Australia, Queensland University of Technology, February 5th -7th 2020. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Morris, Louise Lamontagne, Francis Odhuno, and Hannah Altman (2019). Economies of Scale amongst Coffee Co-operatives in Papua New Guinea: A Competitive and Co-operative Advantage. 14th International Co-Operative Alliance Asia-Pacific Research Conference, Newcastle, Australia, The University of Newcastle Australia, 12th -14th December 2019. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah, Benno Torgler and Rob Robergs (2019). False Perceptions of Quality Signals for Exercise Professionals. The Dangers of Asymmetric Information: An Application of Akerlof’s Market for Lemons Model. IAREP/SABE 2019 Conference, 1st-4th of September, 2019, Dublin, Ireland. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah, Benno Torgler and Rob Robergs (2019). The Sexy Heuristic in a World of Asymmetric Information: Why Sexy Yields Social Inefficiency. An Example of the Health and Fitness Industry. A Behavioural Economic Perspective. Western Economics Association International, 15th International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, Keio University , March 21st- March 24th 2019. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2015). Sports Economics and Performance Inefficiency, Redux, Western Economics Association, International 12th international Conference Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, January 7-10 2016. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2015). Sports Economics and Performance Inefficiency Redux, Poster Session, New Zealand Economics Association 56th Annual Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. Presented by Hannah Altman.
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Altman, Hannah and Morris Altman (2014). Sports Economics and Performance Inefficiency, Poster Session, International Association for Research in Economic Psychology, 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology. Paris France. Presented by Hannah Altman.
Teaching Experience
Victoria University of Wellington
2014-2018
Queensland University of Technology
2019-Presnet
Teaching
Experience
-Micro-Economics
_Macro-Economics
-Business Statistics
-Quantitative Methods
Infinite Clients Say About Hannah
I am delighted to write this recommendation letter for Hannah Altman, my Personal Fitness trainer. The expertise and guidance Hannah has provided through strength training and Pilates has been instrumental in my recovery from hip replacement surgery. Hannah personally designs each of my training sessions and adapts the exercises according to my requirements, allowing me to confidently achieve my health and fitness goals in a consistent and measured manner. Hannah is professional, motivational and encouraging and I have no hesitation in recommending her to potential clients. T
Terry White AO D.Univ UQ., D.Univ QUT., BA, PhC MPS , Client