Summary

I am Deputy Associate Dean for Research and Innovation (REF) within the Faculty of Science and Health. Having lead on the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences preparations for REF 2021, I now lead on the Faculty's preparations for the Research Excellence Framework. I am also a Reader in Environmental Physiology in the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science where I lead a number of research projects and supervise postgraduate students, and a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.

 

Biography

I joined the department from the University of Chichester, where I graduated from the MSc in Exercise Physiology pathway with a distinction grade. I completed my PhD in the area of fat metabolism, with a specific focus on the role of bioactive agents and exercise in optimising fat metabolism. In addition to my teaching, research, and administrative roles, I have worked with athletes from recreational level to Olympic champion, have consulted for various National and International groups, and am a BASES accredited Sports Scientist and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Research interests

I work in the Extreme Environments Laboratory, which adopts an interdisciplinary research approach to understand, evaluate, and enhance human comfort, performance, and survival in extreme environments 

My research focuses primarily on heat, hypoxia and hydration. Specific areas in which I am currently working include: 1) optimising adaptation to environmental stressors, alone and in combination, to improve physical performance in these conditions; 2) the use of environmental stressors to improve physical performance under different condtions (cross-stressor tolerance); 3) strategies to improve physical performance in extreme environments; 4) the therapeutic role of environmental stressors in health and disease. 

This work ranges from mechanistic through to applied research and has been funded by industry, defence, elite sport and health groups.