Chris Button, PhD, New Zealand
Chris is a Professor of Motor Learning currently working at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Chris’ research interests concern water safety education, foundational aquatic skills, motor skill transfer and the design of practice environments to promote skill acquisition. Chris has published in excess of 100 research articles and also co-written 5 books on Motor Learning. He has over 20 years experience of research project management and provided expertise for organisations such as the NZ Ministry of Health, Water Safety NZ, and High Performance Sport New Zealand. Chris is an executive committee member of the Australasian Skill Acquisition Network, and a research associate of the International Swim Schools Association (ISSA). Prior to moving to New Zealand, Chris worked at the University of Edinburgh and studied at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Endorsement publications (relevant to drowning prevention):
Button, C., van Duijn, T., Cocker, K., Trotter-Dunn, G., & Seifert, L. (2023). Does a combined swimming pool and open water education programme for children develop adaptable water safety competencies? Journal of Sport and Exercise Science, 7(2), 18-28.
Burnay, C., Anderson, D. I., Button, C., & Cordovil, R. (2023). Effect of baby swimming lessons on infants’ avoidance of bodies of water. Developmental Psychobiology, 65(8), e22434.
van Duijn, T., Cocker, K., Seifert, L., & Button, C. (2022). Assessment of water safety competencies: Benefits and caveats of testing in open water. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 982480. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.982480
Button, C., Ng, J. L., Burnay, C., & van Duijn, T. (2022). Application of ecological dynamics principles to drowning prevention. Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2(1), 59-66.
Guignard, B., Button, C., Davids, K., & Seifert, L. (2020). Education and transfer of water competencies: an ecological dynamics approach. European Physical Education Review, 26(4), 938-953.
Button, C., Button, A. J., Jackson, A.-M., Cotter, J. D., & Maraj, B. (2020). Teaching foundational aquatic skills to children in open water environments. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 13(1), 1.
Croft, J. L., & Button, C. (2015). Interacting factors associated with adult male drowning in New Zealand. PloS one, 10(6), e0130545.
Scientific presentations (last 5 years):
1) Button, C., Cocker, K. N., Rein, R., & Meredith-Jones K. (2024). Does anthropometry explain the individual variation in floating ability? Presented at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2025. Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, (20-23 November 2025).
2) Cocker, K. N., Wilson, L. C., van Duijn, T., O’Reilly, K., Wypych, J., Button, C., Cotter, J. D. (2023). How the method of immersion into cold water affects cerebral blood velocity. (Oral Presentation at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention, Perth, Australia). Abstract Link (Page 75)
3) Button, C., Guignard, B., Seifert, L., & David, K. (2019). Teaching Water safety knowledge and skills to children in open water environments. World Congress of Drowning Prevention. Durban, South Africa. October, 2019.
4) Button, C., Button, A., Jackson, A-M., Cotter, J. and Maraj, B. (2019). Teaching Water safety knowledge and skills to children in open water environments. World Congress of Drowning Prevention. Durban, South Africa. October, 2019.