Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network Podcast

Jacky Forsyth
  • 0.0 (0)
  • SPORTS
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

These are the Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN) podcasts. The overall purpose of WiSEAN is to grow, strengthen and promote research on women in sport and exercise, with the ultimate goal of optimizing women’s athletic success and their participation. We, therefore, invite academics, researchers and practitioners from sport and exercise to join us for our podcast, so they can share their thoughts, activities, research and advice. linktr.ee/wisean

  1. ⁠Verity Postlethwaite⁠⁠: Social impact and legacy in women's sport

    9H AGO

    ⁠Verity Postlethwaite⁠⁠: Social impact and legacy in women's sport

    Verity Postlethwaite⁠ is a Lecturer in Strategic Event Management at Loughborough University and Co‑Chair of the ⁠WiSEAN 2026 Conference⁠ Organising Committee. ⁠Her work⁠ focuses on the social and community impacts of sport and major events. Verity currently plays a leading role in two major research projects as Loughborough University is a ⁠Spirit of 2012 Legacy Learning⁠ Partner and a ⁠UK Sport Social Impact Partner⁠, both of these projects are helping to strengthen how major events deliver positive, long‑term outcomes for people and places across the United Kingdom.   We covered these topics  WiSEAN 2026 Conference Host and Organiser – anything you’re looking forward to, in particular? What can delegates expect?Own area of research and UG/PG study. Why sportfrom politics?PhD on 2012 Olympic: Legacy/change for women?Other sporting events and social change. Specific examples women? Good practice in academia/as an early career researcher?Future research plans

    38 min
  2. Dr Verity Postlethwaite: Social impact and legacy in women's sport

    9H AGO

    Dr Verity Postlethwaite: Social impact and legacy in women's sport

    Verity Postlethwaite is a Lecturer in Strategic Event Management at Loughborough University and Co‑Chair of the WiSEAN 2026 Conference Organising Committee. Her work focuses on the social and community impacts of sport and major events. Verity currently plays a leading role in two major research projects as Loughborough University is a Spirit of 2012 Legacy Learning Partner and a UK Sport Social Impact Partner, both of these projects are helping to strengthen how major events deliver positive, long‑term outcomes for people and places across the United Kingdom.   We covered these topics  WiSEAN 2026 Conference Host and Organiser – anything you’re looking forward to, in particular? What can delegates expect?Own area of research and UG/PG study. Why sportfrom politics?PhD on 2012 Olympic: Legacy/change for women?Other sporting events and social change. Specific examples women? Good practice in academia/as an early career researcher?Future research plans

    38 min
  3. Dr Britta Sorensen: Understanding Pain in Women’s Ultra-Endurance Sports

    FEB 9

    Dr Britta Sorensen: Understanding Pain in Women’s Ultra-Endurance Sports

    ⁠Dr Britta Sorensen⁠⁠ is a researcher specialising in female athletes’ pain experiences through holistic, biopsychosocial approaches. Her PhD examined how female ultra-endurance athletes perceive and manage pain, combining retrospective, longitudinal, and real-time methodologies. With 19 years in sport science teaching and management, an MPhil in Sport Performance Psychology, and soft tissue therapist experience supporting athletes from club to Olympic and Paralympic level, Britta brings diverse expertise to WiSEAN. Her research advocates for interdisciplinary support networks and personalised pain-coping strategies that balance physical performance with psychological wellbeing, contributing both academic rigour and practical experience to advancing women's representation in sport. Topics covered: New role as podcast host, supplementing current podcasts. Plans for guests, considering personal interests and background.PhD work and publications from this.Work as applied practitioner, e.g., therapist, applied work with endurance athletes, and how research has informed this.Involvement, to date, at WiSEAN, e.g., conference presentations. Future research/work plans.

    22 min
  4. Dr Britta Sorensen: Understanding Pain in Women’s Ultra-Endurance Sports

    FEB 9

    Dr Britta Sorensen: Understanding Pain in Women’s Ultra-Endurance Sports

    Dr Britta Sorensen is a researcher specialising in female athletes’ pain experiences through holistic, biopsychosocial approaches. Her PhD examined how female ultra-endurance athletes perceive and manage pain, combining retrospective, longitudinal, and real-time methodologies. With 19 years in sport science teaching and management, an MPhil in Sport Performance Psychology, and soft tissue therapist experience supporting athletes from club to Olympic and Paralympic level, Britta brings diverse expertise to WiSEAN. Her research advocates for interdisciplinary support networks and personalised pain-coping strategies that balance physical performance with psychological wellbeing, contributing both academic rigour and practical experience to advancing women's representation in sport. Topics covered: New role as podcast host, supplementing current podcasts. Plans for guests, considering personal interests and background.PhD work and publications from this.Work as applied practitioner, e.g., therapist, applied work with endurance athletes, and how research has informed this.Involvement, to date, at WiSEAN, e.g., conference presentations. Future research/workplans.

    22 min
  5. Dr Tegan Hartmann & Dr Danielle Girard: Reproductive Health and Advancing WiSEAN across Australasia

    JAN 20

    Dr Tegan Hartmann & Dr Danielle Girard: Reproductive Health and Advancing WiSEAN across Australasia

    Dr Tegan Hartmann Tegan is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Science at Charles Sturt University. Her research is focussed on women’s health, particularly examining the links between physical activity, mental wellbeing and complex health conditions. She is passionate about addressing conditions such as endometriosis, pregnancy loss and other under-researched areas that significantly impact women’s quality of life. Through her work, she advocates for greater awareness, education and strategies to support women across the lifespan. Dr Hartmann also mentors students and early career researchers, encouraging innovation, compassion and evidence-based practice in the exercise sciences. Dr Danielle Girard Dani is a Senior Lecturer and Program Director of the Clinical Exercise Physiology degree within the Allied Health & Human Performance Unit at the University of South Australia. She is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with Exercise & Sports Science Australia and currently serves as Vice President of the Council of Heads of Exercise, Sport and Movement Sciences (CHESMS), Australia. Her research focusses on exercise-based interventions for the prevention and management of cancer, mental illness and cardiovascular disease, with a particular emphasis on women’s health conditions such as pregnancy loss, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Themes: Introduction to guests' physical location, e.g., University, location.How/why their varied backgrounds have progressed into doing research on women’s health, such as pregnancy loss, endometriosis, PCOS and exercise? Future research plans/direction in this area.Role for WiSEAN, and how they became aware of WiSEAN.Aims for volunteer role for WiSEAN in the next 12 months/mentoring.Typical academic/researcher pathway in Australia.Research culture on women’s sport and exercise in Australia and pertinent/hot topics. Opportunities for work in Australia.

    43 min
  6. Dr Tegan Hartmann & Dr Danielle Girard: Reproductive Health and Advancing WiSEAN across Australasia

    JAN 20

    Dr Tegan Hartmann & Dr Danielle Girard: Reproductive Health and Advancing WiSEAN across Australasia

    Dr Tegan Hartmann Tegan is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Science at Charles Sturt University. Her research is focussed on women’s health, particularly examining the links between physical activity, mental wellbeing and complex health conditions. She is passionate about addressing conditions such as endometriosis, pregnancy loss and other under-researched areas that significantly impact women’s quality of life. Through her work, she advocates for greater awareness, education and strategies to support women across the lifespan. Dr Hartmann also mentors students and early career researchers, encouraging innovation, compassion and evidence-based practice in the exercise sciences. Dr Danielle GirardDani is a Senior Lecturer and Program Director of the Clinical Exercise Physiology degree within the Allied Health & Human Performance Unit at the University of South Australia. She is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with Exercise & Sports Science Australia and currently serves as Vice President of the Council of Heads of Exercise, Sport and Movement Sciences (CHESMS), Australia. Her research focusses on exercise-based interventions for the prevention and management of cancer, mental illness and cardiovascular disease, with a particular emphasis on women’s health conditions such as pregnancy loss, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Themes: Introduction to guests' physical location, e.g., University, location.How/why their varied backgrounds have progressed into doing research on women’s health, such as pregnancy loss, endometriosis, PCOS and exercise? Future research plans/direction in this area.Role for WiSEAN, and how they became aware of WiSEAN.Aims for volunteer role for WiSEAN in the next 12 months/mentoring.Typical academic/researcher pathway in Australia.Research culture on women’s sport and exercise in Australia and pertinent/hot topics. Opportunities for work in Australia.

    43 min
  7. Dr Ross Julian: Researching Performance in Women’s Football

    12/19/2025

    Dr Ross Julian: Researching Performance in Women’s Football

    Dr Ross Julian: Researching Performance in Women’s Football (video version) Dr Ross Julian is the International Study Programme Coordinator, researcher, and lecturer at the University of Münster (Germany). His work focuses on advancing understanding of women’s health and performance in sport, with particular emphasis on sex-specific physiological responses and evidence-based training approaches for female athletes.Ross has previously worked closely with elite female footballers and is recognised as one of the early researchers to investigate the effects of the menstrual cycle on performance in elite women's football. He is passionate about improving sex-specific training strategies and exploring how menstrual cycle-related hormonal fluctuations may influence performance outcomes and injury risk.In addition to his work in Münster, Dr Julian is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Gloucestershire, where he mentors early-career researchers and supports menstrual cycle research initiatives, helping to address common methodological challenges and limitations in this complex and under-researched field.Themes talked about:       Reasons for initial interest in doing research on the effects (or perceived effects) ofmenstrual cycle on football performance. Three chapters in the Women’s Football book (Women’s Football: From Science to High Performance), with the lead one on menstrual cycle monitoring, application and implementation: How can stakeholders be convinced to invest in menstrual cycle monitoring, using key performance effects.Future utopia for physiological and physical profiling of women footballers, given optimal resources.More recent publication, ‘Sex differences in cognitive performance persist into your80s’. Overview of findings and interest. Differences in approach to research/academia in Germany versus UK. Future research plans.

    27 min
  8. Dr Ross Julian: Researching Performance in Women’s Football

    12/19/2025

    Dr Ross Julian: Researching Performance in Women’s Football

    Dr Ross Julian: Researching Performance in Women’s Football Dr Ross Julian is the International Study Programme Coordinator, researcher, and lecturer at the University of Münster (Germany). His work focuses on advancing understanding of women’s health and performance in sport, with particular emphasis on sex-specific physiological responses and evidence-based training approaches for female athletes.Ross has previously worked closely with elite female footballers and is recognised as one of the early researchers to investigate the effects of the menstrual cycle on performance in elite women's football. He is passionate about improving sex-specific training strategies and exploring how menstrual cycle-related hormonal fluctuations may influence performance outcomes and injury risk.In addition to his work in Münster, Dr Julian is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Gloucestershire, where he mentors early-career researchers and supports menstrual cycle research initiatives, helping to address common methodological challenges and limitations in this complex and under-researched field.We talked about: Reasons for initial interest in doing research on the effects (or perceived effects) of menstrual cycle on football performance. Three chapters in the Women’s Football book (Women’s Football: From Science to HighPerformance), with the lead one on menstrual cycle monitoring, application andimplementation: How can stakeholders be convinced to invest in menstrual cyclemonitoring, using key performance effects.Future utopia for physiological and physical profiling of women footballers, givenoptimal resources.More recent publication, ‘Sex differences in cognitive performance persist into your80s’. Overview of findings and interest. Differences in approach to research/academia in Germany versus UK. Future research plans.

    27 min
See All (67)

About

These are the Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN) podcasts. The overall purpose of WiSEAN is to grow, strengthen and promote research on women in sport and exercise, with the ultimate goal of optimizing women’s athletic success and their participation. We, therefore, invite academics, researchers and practitioners from sport and exercise to join us for our podcast, so they can share their thoughts, activities, research and advice. linktr.ee/wisean

Information