Like all of us, Dr Shelley Gorman grew up with the 'slip, slop, slap' message.
And for good reason, Australia is one of the sunniest countries in the world and has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.
But oddly enough, we also have significant rates of vitamin D deficiency too.
"Australians are very aware of the need to cover up and protect their skin from the sun," Shelley said.
"Unfortunately our best natural source of vitamin D is from the sun and by covering up too much, it means some people do not get adequate amounts."
Through her research, Shelley is discovering a myriad of health benefits related to sun exposure.
"One of our exciting findings is that ultraviolet light may play an important role in regulating the development of obesity and metabolic disorders like type-2 diabetes," Shelley said.
But knowing how much sun exposure is needed to prevent those health problems, while simultaneously not putting yourself at risk of skin cancer, is the challenge.
"We all have different skin types and different risk factors for disease development, meaning there's no one size fits all approach," Shelley said.
That is why Shelley is working to discover clear answers.
"The sun and spending time outdoors is an important part of our lives," Shelley said.
"Yet, there is still so much to learn about how sun exposure in early life and beyond affects our health, both the good and the bad, how much sun we need for optimal health, the importance of vitamin D, the roles of other mediators and so on."
Shelley has just been awarded a Western Australian Young Tall Poppy Award for her efforts in this area.
The award recognises scientific excellence for those in the early to mid-level of their career.
Shelley's ultimate goal is to provide the scientific basis so that people can make informed choices about sun exposure for themselves and their children.
"I hope that we will be able to use sun exposure throughout life in a safe way to prevent the development of lifestyle diseases like obesity, as well as allergic and autoimmune disease."
The Kids Research Institute Australia researcher Dr Gina Trapp also received a Tall Poppy Award, read about it here.