Summary

I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science.

Broadly defined, I am interested in theoretically-informed (e.g., social ecological) approaches to the promotion of health and wellness and the prevention and reduction of chronic disease and disability throughout the lifecourse – particularly in older adulthood. I investigate these areas primarily through interpretive (i.e., qualitative) research methodologies and methods.

I am eligible to supervise PhD candidates and welcome enquires and applications from students interested in older adult health/physical activity promotion and/or relationships between negative age stereotypes and health.

Biography

I joined the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science in November 2017. My previous academic appointments have been at the Assistant Professor and Lecturer levels in public health programs at Canadian universities. With respect to my training, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Dalhousie University (Cardiovascular Research Unit, Department of Medicine) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and hold MA & PhD degrees from the University of Alberta (Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I completed an undergraduate honours degree in Psychology at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada.

Research interests

My research program examines physical activity participation and, particularly, ways to increase levels of physical activity among older adults as a way to improve health outcomes in older adulthood. Consistent with this overarching focus, I have the following specific interests: 

• Older adults' perceptions and experiences of physical activity
• Physical activity promotion within care/nursing homes
• Physical activity promotion within rural settings
• Masters athletes' perceptions of ageing and health
• Negative perceptions of ageing, age stereotypes and ageism - effects on individual and population health 
• Social exclusion
• Social-ecological models of physical activity and health
• Qualitative methodologies and methods

Teaching responsibilities

I am a British Psychological Society Chartered Psychologist, University of Portsmouth TRIF Strategic Fellow and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). I currently coordinate a 3rd year undergraduate module: Biopsychosocial Approaches to Physical Activity and Health Promotion.

I also teach on the following units: Psychology of Exercise and Physical Activity (postgraduate), Applied Research Methods (postgraduate), Preparing Research, Innovation or Enterprise Projects (2nd year undergraduate), Psychology of Sport and Exercise (2nd year undergraduate), and Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology (1st year undergraduate).