Can you tell us about your Sport and Exercise Science Journey?

Through my career as a competitive Figure Skater, I developed an interest in individual’s experiences of and relationships to sport, exercise and physical activity. This is why I went on to study Sports and Exercise Science. 

After graduation from my BSc in Sport Science and Kinesiology at the University of Salzburg (Austria), I worked as a Figure Skating Coach and then a Fitness Instructor during my MSc and PhD studies at Manchester Met. During this time, I was also an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences. 

I am currently a Lecturer in Sports Coaching. I teach across undergraduate levels and supervise research at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels (MSc and PhD). I am also a member of the Faculty Ethics Committee in the Faculty of Science and Engineering and I am a representative for Equality and Diversity in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences. 

In addition, I am a qualitative researcher. I use sociological theories to understand coaches’ and athletes’ lived experiences and interpersonal processes in sport, exercise and physical activity. I am currently studying women’s experiences of the menstrual cycle in the contexts of sport, exercise and physical activity. 

How did your degree prepare you for your current role?

My undergraduate degree shaped my understanding of the traditional Sport and Exercise Science disciplines of biomechanics, psychology and physiology. Throughout my postgraduate degree, I gained a broad understanding of Sports Coaching research and the coaching landscape in the UK. 

Then, through my PhD, I studied in detail the work and learning of coaching practitioners and developed a robust knowledge base of qualitative research methodologies and theories. I now draw on this knowledge to prepare teaching delivery on topics around sports coaching, research methods and professional skills. 

What do you enjoy about your current role?

I enjoy the mixture of my responsibilities, the flexibility of my role and that every workday brings something different.

The work environment is relaxed, friendly, supports flexible working and allows me to have a healthy balance of work and family life. I also enjoy the collegiality within my team and the support we provide for one another.

What are your greatest achievements so far?

To have completed my PhD in English, which is my third language. My mother tongues are Croatian and German.

Also, to have followed my interest in women’s experiences of the menstrual cycles in the contexts of sport, exercise, and physical activity after my PhD, conducting and publishing my first study as an Early Career Researcher. 

What advice would you give to students who aspire to a career in Sports and Exercise Science?

Attend your course sessions, follow the advice that staff give you on coursework, and gain work experience or volunteer throughout your degree with opportunities such as summer placements.

What does diversity in Sport and Exercise Science mean to you?

Having a team of people who work together and have different ethnic, cultural and professional backgrounds. 

Diversity is important because it allows us to draw on different strengths of people with diverse skills, experiences, heritage and histories. 

Diversity also makes the industry stronger. It allows us to think and work with a bigger picture in mind that extends beyond our immediate interests as individuals. 

What are your plans for the future?

To establish myself as a qualitative researcher investigating menstruation and women’s sport, exercise and physical activity, to pass on my knowledge to the next generation of researchers through postgraduate supervision and to continue developing and adapting as an educator. 

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