Professor Bircan Erbas serves as the Associate Dean of Research and Industry Engagement within the School of Psychology and Public Health at La Trobe University. She is also an elected member of the Academic Board. With a Master's degree in Statistics and a PhD in Biostatistics from the University of Melbourne, she possesses expertise in environmental epidemiology and biostatistics.

Professor Erbas is at the forefront of research aimed at reducing the burden of disease on individuals, families, and communities throughout their lifespan. She utilises her sought-after knowledge to design state-of-the-art studies and develop methods to tackle complex health issues. Renowned as a leading global pollen epidemiologist, she was instrumental in establishing the connection between pollen and exacerbations of childhood asthma, a significant clinical and public health concern.

In 2008, Professor Erbas and her colleagues were awarded an NHMRC project grant to investigate the relationship between environmental pollen and fungi and the admission rates of children with poorly controlled asthma. She is also the chief investigator on several competitively funded projects, including NHMRC-supported projects focused on environmental and respiratory health. Professor Erbas received a fully funded prestigious fellowship from the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) at Harvard University. She was shortlisted for the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Prestigious Paediatric Research Awards and, in 2010, received the Vice-Chancellor Award for Excellence in Research from La Trobe University. She has consistently attracted significant funding for her research.

With over 300 co-authored academic publications, predominantly in high-quality Q1 international journals, Professor Erbas is recognised for her contributions to public health and epidemiology. She has supervised 15 PhD candidates to completion and is currently supervising 8 PhD students. Additionally, she serves on the editorial boards of Respirology and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. As an expert methodologist, she offers insights that are highly sought after by national and international grant agencies and research committees.