inside sport and exercise sciences / summer 2015

The UK’s European university

INSIDE SPORT

AND EXERCISE

SCIENCES

Summer 2015 Edition

Welcome to the Summer 2015 edition of the School of Sport and

Exercise Sciences newsletter, designed to provide cutting edge

insights into the world of sport and exercise sciences and

deliver the latest news from the school.

News 4

Kent rises to 16th in the Guardian University Guide 2016

We sponsored the Medway 10k

Registration is now open for our October Open Day

The Best New Society

Student life 6

Pre-season testing with Gillingham Football Club

Medway student hub receives planning permission

£10,000 Bursaries are now available to any graduates who lives in Kent and meets our other eligibility criteria

2015 Graduation and Exam Board

Natalie Wren’s student profile

Research spotlight 10

Asthma is rife in amongst elite athletes

Introducing the 2015 Endurance Research Conference

Graduate prospects 12

Ciaran O’Grady’s graduate profile How to get your perfect job

www.kent.ac.uk/sportsciences

INSIDE THIS EDITION


Kent rises to 16th

in the Guardian

University Guide

2016

More good news for the University with the announcement that it we have achieved our highest league table position to date with a rise of four places in the Guardian. Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, said: ‘This

excellent news confirms Kent’s position as one of the best research and teaching universities in the UK. It is also further recognition and endorsement of the hard work and dedication of our staff, all of whom are determined to provide our students with a stimulating academic experience and invaluable preparation for the future.’ This latest good news for the University follows

Kent’s success in the REF 2014, where we were ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity and achieved the third largest increase of the top 50 research intensive universities for research power. We also achieved one of the largest increases in research funding following our REF success.

NEWS


We sponsored the

Medway 10k

In early June the Medway 10k returned as part of the Medway Festival of Sport. The race attracted runners of all abilities, from experienced athletes to those new to running. Medal and finish line goodies were made available to all finishers. For the men's and the ladies 1st place finishers, this included vouchers worth £200 in services from the our High Performance Sports Clinic here in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Our Sports Ready therapy team were also on hand at the race. They supported the event by providing free post-race massage to more than 50 of the runners.

Registration is

now open for our

October Open

Day

Kent’s Open Days are a great way of giving our prospective students a flavour of what it is like to be an undergraduate, postgraduate or part-time student here at Kent. Registration is now open for our October 10 Open Day where all visitors will be able to meet staff and current students and take a campus tour covering accommoda-tion, sports facilities, the library, and teaching facilities. Visitors will get a programme for the day, but we'll also have our team on hand to answer any questions, give live updates and post photos of what's going on around campus.

The Best New

Society

Our Sports Studies Society were crowned as the Best New Society for 2014/15. Congratulations to the student committee running the society. Our students Louise Wedgebury-Berry, Toni Miller, Kristine Staulen, Jacob Reid and Natalie Wren continue to take the society from strength to strength and bring together our students and staff through sport related activities.

In their first year the Society has hosted quizzes, guest speakers and social events to enhance student life for sports students here at Kent.


Pre-season

testing with

Gillingham

Football Club

Over 2 days small team of our students and staff from the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences took the entire squad of Gillingham FC through their pre-season fitness testing. Dr Andy Galbraith, James Hogg, Samuel Smith, William Gowers, Laura McPherson and Emma Mundy ran the testing over 2 days in late June. The tests used included a VO2max test measuring the players’ aerobic capacity and a lactate profile test to help predict performance and monitor the players’ training improvement. In addition to these tests our team used a specialised isokinetic dynamometer to

measure maximal force of the players’ hamstrings and quadriceps muscles.

Medway student

hub receives

planning

permission

Plans for new state-of-the-art, purpose-built student social facilities at the Medway campus have moved a step closer to reality. Official permission has now been granted for the development by the universities of Kent and Greenwich to convert an unused listed building at Medway – formerly home to a swimming pool and bowling alley – into a ‘student hub’ for use by all 10,000 students at the campus.

Now that both listed building consent and planning permission has

been given by Medway Council, the universities aim for facilities to be open in time for their respective student intakes in September 2016.

£10,000 bursaries

are now available

to any graduates

who lives in Kent

and meets our

other eligibility

criteria

Students hoping to study MSc Sports Science for Optimal Performance in 2015 could be eligible for a £10,000 bursary which does not have to be repaid. The University has 232 £10,000 postgraduate bursaries for students who register for taught Master's degrees at Kent in September 2015. Jointly funded by the government and the University,

STUDENT LIFE


the allocation of these awards, the sixth largest in the UK, confirms Kent's position as a leading university for postgraduate study in the country. Only those who initially registered for a Bachelor's degree in 2012 (and subject to the £9000 tuition fee regime) and have recently graduated (in 2015) are eligible to apply. The scheme is open to all those who are a UK

resident, but with an on-going commitment to the provision of high-quality education in its region, the University has allocated 100 of these bursaries for 2015 graduates who are from the county of Kent.

2015 Graduation

and Exam Board

Congratulations to all of our students who graduated at Rochester Cathedral

back in early July. We had a fantastic graduation ceremony this year with a number of our students receiving special awards for distinguished academic achievement in their respective fields. Special congratulations go to the winner of our overall school prize Miss Emma Mundy in recognition of her exceptional academic performance.


Natalie Wren’s

student profile Natalie Wren is in her final year studying Sport and Exercise for Health.

Why did you choose Kent? First, I was attracted to the course because it allowed me to study the science and the therapy sides of sport, which not many other degrees offered. Also, I loved the

campus when I visited and it’s not too far from Essex where I am from.

How is the course going? I love it – I don’t want to leave. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do and the course is definitely living up to my expectations. It’s quite a new course and I quite enjoy being part of its development, it is definitely growing. It is a broad course with a

very good practical side; I think studying therapy and science could give me an edge, career wise. The facilities are great too, we have labs and therapy rooms and the library is wonderful, it has a real sense of history as well as all the up-to-date technology.


Do you have a favourite module? Exercise, Pre-scription, Referral and Rehabilita-tion. I hope to go into cardiac rehabilitation when I graduate and this module is about disease and how you prevent it or over-come it through exercise and lifestyle changes as well as with medication. What about the lecturers? They are excellent, very easy to talk to and quick to respond to emails; there is an Open Door policy, so you can drop in for a chat when they are in their offices or, if you prefer, you can book a tutorial.

Tell me about your dissertation. In the classes I work in, when a patient arrives we ask them to do a walking test to see how fit they are and then, after the classes, we test the patient to see how much they have improved. My dissertation assesses how beneficial the walking test is, and asks whether different tests should be used. It will have a very practical application and it will help the people I am doing my work experience with – they are very interested in anything I find out. It’s good to be doing a piece of academic research, which could have an immediate application. Do you need to do a Master’s for this career? You don’t, but I would

like to continue my studies for a bit longer and hope to do a Master’s in cardiac rehabilitation. Unfortunately, Kent doesn’t offer one at the moment, so I will look elsewhere. It’s a big decision and I haven’t made my mind up yet. What about Kent’s social life? I think it is good, the stu-dent bar on campus has events every night, Car-go is a good place to eat and there is a cinema just across the road. There are lots of societies, and you can start your own – my housemates and I started a society called Get Crafty. Also, if you sign up to Medway Activities, they take you to London or Maidstone for a night out and then bring you home, you pay a small fee for three years’ membership – it’s a good deal!


RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

Asthma is rife

amongst elite

athletes

Dr John Dickinson spoke with Sky Sports News this summer to discuss the prevalence of asthma among elite athletes. This interview followed Dr Dickinson’s article with the Guardian on how heavy exercise causes rise in bronchial restriction in airways. As a world expert on asthma in sport, Dr Dickinson was invited to comment on the prevalence of asthma among elite athletes after it was noted that the proportion of Alberto Salazar’s athletes with asthma was lower than in Britain’s 2004 Olympic team. For the full video segment with Sky Sports News please visit: http://goo.gl/oz6LA5

Introducing the

2015 Endurance

Research

Conference

On 2 - 4 September 2015 we will be hosting a 3 day conference on endurance sport. Following the highly successful World Congress of Cycling Science 2014 (WCCS 2014) in Leeds, we are now offering a unique conference for sport science students, scientists, health professionals, coaches and athletes with an interest in endurance sports. The programme includes invited talks from world-leading scientists and

practitioners, free poster and oral communica-tions, and lots of opportunities for stimulating debates, questions and answers, and networking. Like WCCS 2014, the

conference will also include an Open Lecture tailored to the general public, as well as sessions specifically designed for athletes and coaches. Unlike other more generic conferences, the conference will focus solely on endurance. Talks and free communications will cover both the basic sciences applied to endurance (physiology, psychology, biomechan-ics and cognitive neuro-science) as well as more applied topics such as training, testing, nutrition, and modelling. All major endurance sports will be covered (running, cycling, swimming, triathlon and ultra endurance) but free communications are welcome about any endurance sport. The Endurance Research Conference will run in the UK at the University of Kent in

http://goo.gl/oz6LA5


Medway, and will address some of the central themes in endurance research. Thematic areas of the conference include:

Cycling

Psychology

Physiology

Triathlon

Pacing

Nutrition

Running The conference benefits from a very convenient £180.00 full conference

package for the three day conference or £295.00 including accommodation. Thanks to the funding provided by the Beacon Project, we have been able to organise a world-class event with a broad appeal. In addition to speakers from the Endurance Research Group, this conference includes world-leading authorities in the field of endurance research, as well as oral and poster

contributions from scientists interested in endurance sport and exercise.

REGISTER

FOR THE

CONFERENCE

T: 01634 888463

W: www.kent.ac.uk/ endurance-research- conference

E: [email protected]


Ciaran O’Grady’s

graduate profile

Ciaran O’Grady graduated from the BSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences in 2014. He is currently studying for a Master’s in Sport Science for Optimal Performance. What attracted you to Sport and Exercise Science at Kent? I was attracted to this

programme because it allowed me to apply my sporting activities as a racing cyclist to an aca-demic pathway, giving me the opportunity to investigate the science behind the sport that I love. How were your studies? Upon starting my studies, I was immediately drawn to the varying avenues of research into the physiology of endurance

cycling. I became involved in several research studies, as both a participant and researcher, which gave me a wealth of insight into the research process. How was the teaching at Kent? The teaching is excellent, aided by the research activity of the staff, which allows for great insight into the rigours of scientific research.

GRADUATE PROSPECTS


Lectures and seminars are well delivered and there are plenty of opportunities for reviews and feedback on the teaching process. How would you describe your fellow students? They had varying sport-ing interests and our discussions often gave me new perspectives on situations. They were extremely supportive of my sporting commitments, which sometimes prevented me from attending social activities. Has your course changed you? I have become very independent in my learning and I have seen my organisational and administrative skills develop greatly. What about the facilities at Kent?

The facilities are outstanding, from the high-class research labs to the brilliant cafés and restaurants on campus; they are well equipped and supported the student body spectacularly. And the social life at Kent? As a training athlete, I did not engage in the social aspect of university life as much as others, but on the whole it was fun. My time at Kent was incredible, so much so that I have continued on into postgraduate study here. What careers advice did you receive at Kent? From very early on in my time at Kent I realised that my ambition, to follow a career in scientific research, was

right for me. My lecturers and mentor fostered my interest, giving me insights and advice into how to follow my chosen career. In what way has your degree helped you find work or further study? My degree has given me the opportunity to secure both funding for postgraduate study and employment as a sports scientist at a cycling performance centre in London. My typical working day consists of completing physiological testing, coaching athletes and applying sports science in a commercial setting. My postgraduate study is furthering my interest in sports science, particularly endurance physiology and the training processes.


How to get your

perfect job

Here is a fascinating

article to from one of

our recent graduates

from the BSc Sport and

Exercise for Health

programme. Rose

Brenton is a newly

appointed exercise

physiologist with the

local NHS cardiac

rehabilitation

team. Here is what

she had to say on how

to get your perfect job.

After all those years of

hard work, stress, and

more than your fair

share of emotional

breakdowns over that

assignment that’s due in

tomorrow, you can finally

call yourself a graduate

with the degree that you

thought you might never

get. And that’s a great

feeling, but then what?

These days we’re all too

familiar with the

difficulties of landing that

all important first job.

That moment of

realisation that maybe

the degree you worked

so hard for isn’t quite

enough. The crucial

decision between using

your degree to start a

career, or settling for

something, when you

know you’re capable of

much more. This is a

dilemma that many of us

face, myself included,

and so it’s important to

set yourself up for

success early on. This is

my 3 step guide for

getting the perfect job:

Step 1: Studying

The hard work has to

start early. It’s easy to be

complacent and drift

through Uni being more

concerned about what

happened last night than

what needs to be done

for tomorrow, but it’s all

about getting the

balance right.

Employers are looking

not just for a degree, but

a GOOD degree. This

means to give yourself a

head start over others

you need to be aiming

for a 2:1 or higher! And

it’s possible.

Consistency is key. As a

chronic procrastinator

myself, I can honestly

say the best advice is to

get that assignment

done early and keep or-

ganised. This will help

keep stress levels down

and leave you with more

time when the weekend

finally gets here. In the

end we all get the de-

gree we deserve, so fo-

cus on the end goal. It’ll

be worth it.


Step 2: Volunteering &

work experience

‘I’m sorry but you don’t

have the relevant

experience that we are

looking for’

This phrase may come

in many variations, but

the bottom line is that

relevant work experience

is of the upmost

importance.

Securing a volunteer role

while still at Uni may be

one of the most valuable

assets you gain

alongside your degree.

No one likes to work for

nothing, but I have to

say, even if you give up

an hour or two a week of

your precious time, it

makes all the difference.

Voluntary experience

speaks volumes about

you as a person and

allows you to gain the

all-important work

experience needed for

that dream role.

What goes around

comes around – those

unpaid hours will set you

apart from the rest and

eventually you will get

your reward. Also it’s

not always what you

know, but who you

know.


Cliché maybe, but the

people you may meet

through work experience

and volunteering may

come in handy when

looking for a full time

position.

Step 3: Extra

qualifications

Along with work

experience, any further

qualifications you earn

will give you that much

needed boost. It shows

initiative and willingness

to expand your skills and

knowledge. Getting my

personal trainer

qualification, and others,

has opened so many

doors for me.

if during the course of

your studies you have

the opportunity to get

any extra qualifications

or certificates, grab it! If

not, it’s never too late.

Be proactive and find a

recognised course (there

are many) that will give

you the qualification that

makes you stand out.

INSIDE SPORT AND

EXERCISE SCIENCES

For more information, please see


University of Kent Medway Campus, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4AG

T: +44 (0) 1634 888858 F: +44 (0) 1634 888890 www.kent.ac.uk/sportsciences

http://www.facebook.com/UniKentSportSci

https://plus.google.com/103281282101987838414

http://www.youtube.com/user/UniKentSportSci

twitter.com/UniKentSportSci

http://unikentsportsci.wordpress.com/

inside sport and exercise sciences / summer 2015

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