Dr Thorpe is co-director of Fuel Aotearoa (www.fuelaotearoa.co.nz), a health-related website designed with the aim of empowering athletic girls and women through education about their bodies. She is also actively engaged in qualitative research on the role of sport in individual and community recovery and resilience following natural disaster. Dr Thorpe is also an advocate for the potential of action sports for new forms of cultural diplomacy.