[1] After a 1996 PhD titled 'Some effects of question wording and question administration on the prediction of voting behaviour' at the Massey University, Hoek moved to the University of Otago, rising to full professor.

[1][2] Hoek's research focuses on public-interest issues such as smoke-free policy,[3][4][5][6] and is co-director of Aspire 2025, University of Otago Research Centre whose work aims to support the New Zealand Government's goal of becoming a smoke-free nation by 2025.

[7] During Michaelmas term of 2019 Hoek was a Fellow of the Durham University Institute of Advanced Study, where she was affiliated to Stephenson College.

[8] In 2020 Hoek was elected a Fellow of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

[9] One of Hoek's notable doctoral students is Professor Rachael McLean.