Conference speakers

Donna Fraser OLY

is a former sprinter representing Great Britain at 4x Olympic Games. She is the Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Lead for British Athletics and Vice Chair for the British Athletes Commission. She is a breast cancer survivor and Breast Cancer Now Ambassador. 

Prof Ed Laskowski MD

is Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Mayo Clinic, the former Co-Director of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine and former member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, serving under Presidents Bush and Obama.

Prof Adam Hawkey FBASES

is Associate Professor of Sport Science & Human Performance and Strategic Lead for Knowledge Exchange at Solent University, Southampton. He is an Honorary Lecturer in the School of Medicine, University of Dundee and a former Deputy Chair of BASES.

Dr Shawna Pandya MD

is a scientist-astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM, physician, aquanaut, speaker, martial artist, advanced diver, skydiver, pilot-in-training, VP Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies and Fellow of the Explorers’ Club.

Aaron Phipps

is a member of the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team, competing at the Paralympic Games, European and World Championships. He was the first British disabled person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, a challenge he undertook to raise awareness of Meningitis. 

Prof Greg Whyte OBE FBASES
is Professor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University and Director of Performance at the Centre for Health and Human Performance. He has been awarded an OBE for his services to sport, sport science and charity. 

Miles Henson

is co-founder and Director of The People Academy. He currently advises the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (Team USA) and the USA women’s soccer team on techniques to enhance performance, communication and leadership.

Micky Yule

is a Great Britain powerlifter who has competed at Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth Championships. A former Staff Sergeant in the British Army's Royal Engineers, Micky won gold at the 2016 Invictus Games in London.

Prof Mike Tipton MBE

is Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at University of Portsmouth, awarded an MBE for services to physiological research in extreme environments.He is Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Physiology and a Fellow of The Physiological Society.

Prof Charlie Foster OBE

is Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health at the University of Bristol. He is the Chair of Chief Medical Officer’s Committee for Physical Activity and has been awarded an OBE in recognition of his work to promote physical activity. 

Dr Pradeep Singh Chahar

is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Education at Banaras Hindu University in India. He was Chair of the Organising Committee for an International Webinar “Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Sciences in Context to Covid-19”. 

Dr Andy Smith MBE FBASES

is the lead author of the BASES Expert Statement on Covid-19 and both the Association’s Position Stand and Reflective Statement on Reopening Sport and Exercise Science after lockdown. Andy is a former Chair of BASES.

Dr Kirill Micallef Stafrace MD

is a Sport and Exercise Medicine Consultant Mater Dei Hospital, Medical Director of the Malta Football Association, Director of the Maltese Olympic Committee, and Chair of the Medical Commission of the Maltese Olympic Committee.

Dr Melita N Moore MD

 is a physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at MedStar Health System in Washington, DC. She is a physician in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), National Basketball Association (NBA) G League and NBA 2K League.

Dr Joanne Donoghue

is an Associate Professor in the Department of Osteopathic Medicine and the Center for Esports Medicine at the New York Institute of Technology. 

Alaina MacGregor

is Chief Executive Officer of British Blind Sport where she is responsible for leading initiatives to help blind and partially sighted people to get active and play sport. 

Michelle Carney

is Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics Great Britain, who with the support ofher team and the Board of Trustees is working to transform the lives of those with an intellectual disability. 

Ali Jawad

is a British Powerlifter, Paralympic silver medallist, and former world record holder. He is an ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis UK. He is also a member of the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Athlete Commission and a passionate advocate of clean sport. 

Vilassini Sundar

is a multiple medal winner swimmer, professional surfer and stand-up paddle boarder, and sport and exercise scientist from Chennai India. 

Maurisa Gibson-Bailey

is a commonwealth Scholar, a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine and a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist. She hosts the segment “From Playground to Podium” on National Trinidad and Tobago Television. 

Dr Philippa Velija

is an Associate Professor in the Sociology of Sport and Head of Education and Sociology in the Faculty of Sport, Health and Social Sciences at Solent University Southampton, specialising in gender relations in sport and physical education.

Dr Emma Ross FBASES

is Director of Thrive Revolution, Co-Founder of The Well^HQ and the former Head of Physiology at the English Institute of Sport.

Troy Townsend

is Head of Development at Kick It Out, English Football’s equality and inclusion organisation. He is responsible for addressing gaps in representation across all areas of the game and regularly delivers workshops on equality and diversity to the English Football League scholars. 

Dr Emma Kavanagh
is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Psychology and Coaching Sciences at Bournemouth University. A BASES-accredited Sport Scientist (Psychology), she is also a member of the BASES Safeguarding and Welfare Research Advisory Group.

Dr William Murrell MD 

is Director, Center of Excellence, Abu Dhabi Knee and Sports Medicine at Healthpoint Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He is the Co-Founding Editor and Co-Editor-in Chief of the Biologic Orthopedic Journal

Prof Nick Caplan 
is Professor of Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation, Head of Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria University. He also leads the Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory.

Dr Phil Carvil 

is the HealthTec Cluster Manager for the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for UK Research and Innovation. He is Head of the Executive Committee of the UK Space Life and Biomedical Science Association.

Ismael Pedraza 
is a PhD candidate in the Institute of Psychology, Department of Performance Psychology, at the German Sport University Cologne. He is currently investigating the psychology and cognitive processes of ESports. 

Prof Rami Abboud

is Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Balamand. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal The Foot.

Prof Julie Greeves OBE
is the Principal Physiologist for the British Army, leading evidence-based defence physiology research for safe and effective through career employment of women in physically arduous roles

Prof Graeme Close FBASES
is a Professor of Human Physiology at Liverpool John Moores University, an expert nutrition consultant to England Rugby and Head of Performance Nutrition to The European Tour Golf and European Ryder Cup Team, and consults to several Premier League Football clubs and players.

Dr Neal Smith
is Field Leader in Biomechanics at the University of Chichester and a former Vice-President of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS).

Dr Zöe Wimshurst
is Senior Lecturer at AECC University College. A Chartered Psychologist, she helps Olympic and professional athletes' performance through improving their perceptual capabilities.

Prof Simon Jobson
is Dean-Designate of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing and leads the Health and Wellbeing Research Group at the University of Winchester. Simon is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of Sport Sciences.

Dr Lindsay Bottoms FBASES
is a Reader in Exercise and Health Physiology at the University of Hertfordshire and is the Deputy Chair of the BASES Division for Physical Activity for Health. Her main research area is exercise for different health conditions with a primary focus on inflammatory bowel disease.

Prof Dawn Skelton 
is Professor of Ageing and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University. She is Chair of the British Geriatrics Rehabilitation Group and Chaired both the older adult panel of the CMOs Physical Activity Guidelines and the Royal Osteoporosis Society's Strong Steady and Straight Consensus on exercise and Osteoporosis. 

Prof Sue Backhouse FBASES 
is Professor of Sport Psychology and Behavioural Nutrition and Director of Research for Sport and Exercise Science, Leisure and Tourism at Leeds Beckett University. She co-founded and convenes the BASES Clean Sport Interest Group.

Dr Dobson Dominic MBBS M.D (Sports Medicine)
is Head of Sports Medicine in the Saveetha Insitute of Sports Medicine and Sports Science at Saveetha University, India; and the founding Vice-President of the Indian Society of Sports & Exercise Medicine (ISSEM).

Prof Craig Sale
is Professor of Human Physiology and Director of the Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement Research Centre (SHAPE) at Nottingham Trent University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Editor-in-Chief of Nutrition and Health.

Vilassini Sundar
is a multiple-medal-winning swimmer, professional surfer and stand-up paddle boarder, and sport and exercise scientist from Chennai India.

Idai Makaya
is a fitness specialist, author, and endurance athlete who holds the 24-hour chin-up world record (an astonishing 5,340 reps) and the record for the longest recorded ride on an elliptical bike (1,720 miles). 

Kelly Simm
is a British gymnast who has won titles at English, British, and Commonwealth Championships and the World University Games. She has also medalled at the World Championships.  

Ali Jawad
is a British Powerlifter, Paralympic silver medallist, and former world record holder. He is an ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis UK. He is also a member of the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Athlete Commission and a passionate advocate of clean sport. 

Micky Yule
is a Great Britain powerlifter who has competed at Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth Championships. A former Staff Sergeant in the British Army's Royal Engineers, Micky won gold at the 2016 Invictus Games in London.

Karen Shopland 
is the Education Partnership Officer for UK Anti-Doping (UKAD). 

Dr Steve Ingham FBASES 
is the Founder and Director of Sporting Champions and the former Director of Science at both the British Olympic Association and the English Institute of Sport.