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INSIDE SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCES Summer 2015 Edition
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INSIDE THIS 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 Ciaran O’Grady’s graduate profile How to get your perfect job
12
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NEWS
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.
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We sponsored the Registration is The Best New Medway 10k now open for our Society October Open In early June the Our Sports Studies Day 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 ÂŁ200 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.
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 accommodation, 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.
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.
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STUDENT LIFE
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.
measure maximal force of the players’ hamstrings and quadriceps muscles.
Medway student hub receives planning permission
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 Plans for new state-ofwho lives in Kent the-art, purpose-built student social facilities and meets our at the Medway campus other eligibility have moved a step criteria 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.
In addition to these tests Now that both listed our team used a building consent and specialised isokinetic planning permission has dynamometer to
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,
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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 ÂŁ9000 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.
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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.
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Do you have a favourite module?
Tell me about your dissertation.
like to continue my studies for a bit longer and hope to do a In the classes I work in, Master’s in cardiac Exercise, Prewhen a patient arrives rehabilitation. scription, Referral we ask them to do a Unfortunately, Kent and Rehabilitawalking test to see how doesn’t offer one at tion. I hope to go fit they are and then, the moment, so I will into cardiac after the classes, we test look elsewhere. It’s a rehabilitation the patient to see how big decision and I when I graduate much they have haven’t made my and this module is improved. My mind up yet. about disease dissertation assesses and how you how beneficial the What about Kent’s prevent it or overwalking test is, and asks social life? come it through whether different tests exercise and should be used. It will I think it is good, the stulifestyle changes have a very practical dent bar on campus has as well as with application and it will events every night, Carmedication. help the people I am go is a good place to eat doing my work and there is a cinema What about the experience with – they just across the road. lecturers? are very interested in There are lots of anything I find out. societies, and you can They are excellent, very start your own – my easy to talk to and quick It’s good to be doing a housemates and I to respond to emails; piece of academic started a society called there is an Open Door research, which could Get Crafty. Also, if you policy, so you can drop have an immediate sign up to Medway in for a chat when they application. Activities, they take you are in their offices or, if to London or Maidstone you prefer, you can book Do you need to do a for a night out and then a tutorial. Master’s for this bring you home, you pay career? a small fee for three years’ membership – it’s You don’t, but I would a good deal!
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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.
Introducing the 2015 Endurance Research Conference
conference will also include an Open Lecture tailored to the general public, as well as sessions specifically designed for athletes and coaches.
On 2 - 4 September 2015 we will be hosting a 3 day conference on Unlike other more generic conferences, the endurance sport. conference will focus solely on endurance. Following the highly Talks and free This interview followed successful World communications will Dr Dickinson’s article Congress of Cycling cover both the basic with the Guardian on Science 2014 (WCCS sciences applied to how heavy exercise 2014) in Leeds, we are endurance (physiology, causes rise in bronchial now offering a unique psychology, biomechanrestriction in airways. As conference for sport ics and cognitive neuroa world expert on science students, science) as well as more asthma in sport, Dr scientists, health applied topics such as Dickinson was invited to professionals, coaches training, testing, and athletes with an comment on the interest in endurance nutrition, and modelling. prevalence of asthma sports. The programme All major endurance among elite athletes includes invited talks sports will be covered after it was noted that (running, cycling, the proportion of Alberto from world-leading scientists and swimming, triathlon and Salazar’s athletes with practitioners, free poster ultra endurance) but free asthma was lower than communications are in Britain’s 2004 Olympic and oral communications, and lots of welcome about any team. opportunities for endurance sport. stimulating debates, For the full video segment with Sky Sports questions and answers, The Endurance and networking. Research Conference News please visit: will run in the UK at the http://goo.gl/oz6LA5 Like WCCS 2014, the University of Kent in
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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 worldclass 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-researchconference E: b.cronk@kent.ac.uk
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GRADUATE PROSPECTS
Ciaran O’Grady’s programme because it cycling. I became graduate profile allowed me to apply my involved in several 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
sporting activities as a racing cyclist to an academic 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
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.
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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 sporting 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 cafĂŠs and restaurants on campus; they are well equipped and supported the student body spectacularly. And the social life at Kent?
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 As a training athlete, I secure both funding for did not engage in the postgraduate study social aspect of and employment as a university life as much sports scientist at a as others, but on the cycling performance whole it was fun. My centre in London. My time at Kent was typical working day incredible, so much consists of completing so that I have physiological testing, continued on into coaching athletes and postgraduate study applying sports here. science in a commercial setting. My What careers advice postgraduate study is did you receive at furthering my interest Kent? in sports science, particularly endurance From very early on in my physiology and the time at Kent I realised training processes. that my ambition, to follow a career in scientific research, was
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How to get your perfect job
These days we’re all too familiar with the difficulties of landing that all important first job. Here is a fascinating That moment of article to from one of realisation that maybe our recent graduates the degree you worked from the BSc Sport and so hard for isn’t quite Exercise for Health enough. The crucial programme. Rose decision between using Brenton is a newly your degree to start a appointed exercise career, or settling for physiologist with the something, when you local NHS cardiac know you’re capable of rehabilitation much more. This is a team. Here is what dilemma that many of us she had to say on how face, myself included, to get your perfect job. and so it’s important to set yourself up for After all those years of success early on. This is hard work, stress, and my 3 step guide for more than your fair getting the perfect job: share of emotional breakdowns over that Step 1: Studying assignment that’s due in tomorrow, you can finally The hard work has to call yourself a graduate start early. It’s easy to be with the degree that you complacent and drift thought you might never through Uni being more get. And that’s a great concerned about what feeling, but then 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 organised. 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 degree we deserve, so focus on the end goal. It’ll be worth it.
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Securing a volunteer role while still at Uni may be one of the most valuable ‘I’m sorry but you don’t assets you gain have the relevant alongside your degree. experience that we are No one likes to work for looking for’ nothing, but I have to say, even if you give up This phrase may come an hour or two a week of in many variations, but your precious time, it the bottom line is that makes all the difference. relevant work experience Voluntary experience is of the upmost speaks volumes about importance. you as a person and allows you to gain the Step 2: Volunteering & work experience
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.
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ClichĂŠ maybe, but the people you may meet through work experience and volunteering may come in handy when looking for a full time position.
initiative and willingness are many) that will give to expand your skills and you the qualification that knowledge. Getting my makes you stand out. personal trainer qualification, and others, has opened so many doors for me.
Step 3: Extra qualifications
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
Along with work experience, any further qualifications you earn will give you that much needed boost. It shows
INSIDE SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCES For more information, please see www.kent.ac.uk/sportsciences
University of Kent Medway Campus, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4AG
T: +44 (0) 1634 888858 F: +44 (0) 1634 888890 www.kent.ac.uk/sportsciences