Sports, Health and Exercise Science

Overview of the Research Area

The School of Health Science's Research into research in Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences extends into the fields of Sport and Exercise Science, Health and Physical Education and Sports Development.

Sport and Exercise Science

Our diverse team of researchers spans the exercise science spectrum: from sports science and performance to ‘exercise is medicine’ and the application of research to clinical problems. With experts in areas such as cardiorespiratory physiology and resistance training, we tackle challenges associated with neuromuscular fatigue, ageing and chronic disease. Our sports science research program is built upon our strengths in injury risk mitigation, nutrition, movement analysis, and athlete monitoring and development. We have extensive collaborations with researchers in Australia and overseas, and we work closely with local organisations such as the GWS Giants, NSW Institute of Sport, and Bankstown City Aged Care

Health and Physical Education

The research strengths and main focus areas for health and physical education research at Western Sydney University cover:

  • Physical education
  • Physical activity
  • Health promotion
  • Sport coaching
  • Sport science
  • Sociocultural perspectives on Health and Physical Education teaching

Our staff have expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods and a strong record of publication upon completion of research projects. Researchers have access to international standard facilities on campus including a state of the art gymnasium and renovated dance and gym studio. These facilities are complemented by a wealth of sports venues including multi-purpose courts, football fields, and synthetic hockey pitches.

Industry research partners include: NSW Police, Institute of Sport, Football NSW, AFL NSW/ACT, Netball NSW, NRL, ARU, Ice Hockey NSW and various Indigenous sport organisations.

Sports Development

Coming soon.

Health Promotion

Health Promotion extends beyond raising awareness of healthcare issues. It also involves developing and implementing strategies for communities, individuals and policy makers to support good health and wellbeing. Health Promotion graduates help address health inequities in communities, link individuals and communities with healthcare, and assist individuals and communities to follow healthy behaviours, working across sectors and engaging collaboratively with communities to do so. Health promotion projects are as diverse as injury prevention, skin cancer prevention, HIV/AIDS awareness and community development.


Researchers

To find out more about a researcher, click on their name to be redirected to their staff profile.

Researchers

Dr Andrew Bennie
Research Expertise and Interests: Sport Coaching; Physical Education; Qualitative Research; Indigenous Sport
Email:a.bennie@westernsydney.edu.au

Rocco Cavaleri
Research Expertise and Interests: Rocco Cavaleri, Lecturer (Physiotherapy)
Research Expertise and Interests: Brain Stimulation; Neuroscience; Pain; Physiotherapy; Exercise

Professor Roy Cheung
Research Expertise and Interests: Biomechanics; Gait retraining; Wearable sensors; Motion analysis; Injury prevention; Musculoskeletal health
Email:Roy.Cheung@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Peter Clothier
Research Expertise and Interests: Human Movement analysis; Biomechanics; Neuromechanics
Email:p.clothier@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Genevieve Dwyer
Research Expertise and Interests: Physical Activity in children (with and without disability); Disability in children and optimising participation in their communities; Preterm survivors and motor outcomes; Preterm infants and interventions; Childhood obesity; Health service delivery in paediatric physiotherapy (including telehealth)
Email:g.dwyer@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Aymen El Masri
Research Expertise and Interests: Physical activity, Health promotion, Community engagement, Culturally and linguistically diverse populations
Email: a.ElMasri@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Emma George
Research Expertise and Interests: Physical activity; health promotion; men's health; mixed methods research; intervention design; community engagement; professional sport
Email:e.george@westernsydney.edu.au

Associate Professor Simon Green
Research Expertise and Interests: Physiology; heart-lung interactions; exercise testing; experimental techniques; cardiopulmonary diseases
Email:s.green@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Amitabh Gupta
Research Expertise and Interests: Motor control, Biomechanics, Human Movement Science; Falls, Balance and Gait; Musculoskeletal Science; Physiotherapy
Email:a.gupta@westernsydney.edu.au

Professor Gregory Kolt
Research Expertise and Interests: Health promotion; lifestyle behaviour change; physical activity; public health; Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD);
Email:g.kolt@westernsydney.edu.au

Associate Professor Ric Lovell
Research Expertise and Interests: Football Science, Injury Risk Mitigation; Athletic Development; Fatigue Management; Talent Identification; Load Monitoring
Email:r.lovell@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Dean Norris
Research Expertise and Interests: Neuromuscular function, dose response modelling, performance analytics
Email: D.Norris2@westernsydney.edu.au

Robin Pap
Research Expertise and Interests: Paramedicine; Prehospital Care; Quality Improvement; Quality Indicators; Evidence Synthesis
Email:r.pap@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Shona Papalia
Research Expertise and Interests: Dance; sport; physical demands; injury
Email:s.papalia@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Nicole Peel
Research Expertise and Interests: Sport and physical activity for people with a disability, Leisure and vulnerable groups, leisure and health,  health education, systems change, recreation therapy, leisure and sport for outcomes.
Email:n.peel@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Katherine Raw
Research Expertise and Interests: Sport development; sport for development and peace; social impact; diversity; inclusion
Email:k.raw@westernsydney.edu.au

Associate Professor Arianne Reis
Research Expertise and Interests: Leisure, Sport and Physical Activity for Vulnerable and Marginalised Groups (e.g. refugees, migrants, low income communities, people in prison, veterans, etc.); Nature-based Therapeutic Recreation; Mental Health and Wellbeing; Suicide Prevention; Public Spaces and Leisure
Email:a.reis@westernsydney.edu.au

Professor Jason Siegler
Research Expertise and Interests: Sport nutrition; human performance; physiology of fatigue
Email:j.seigler@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Paul Simpson
Research Expertise and Interests: Paramedicine, including paramedicine education; paramedicine provision of mental health care; paramedicine academic workforce issues; work-integrated learning in paramedicine education; clinical reasoning and decision making
Email: p.simpson@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Chloe Taylor
Research Expertise and Interests: Cardiovascular control; autonomic nervous system; baroreflex function; microneurography; exercise physiology
Email:c.taylor@westernsydney.edu.au

Dr Rhiannon White
Research Expertise and Interests: Physical activity; mental health; motivation; self-determination theory; physical education
Email:Rhiannon.White@westernsydney.edu.au