We know there is an under-representation of women and female athletes in sport research, which has held back and slowed advances in women’s sport. But there is a shift happening, and the University of Canberra is one of Australia’s universities pushing for a level playing field. Undertaking research with industry empowers problem-solving in real-world settings and drives impact through research.

Head to Westfield Belconnen (outside T2 and Ally Fashion on Level 3) during the month of November and immerse yourself in our UC Women in Sport Research showcase. There will be a research poster display from our 10 industry co-funded PhD Women in Sport scholarship candidates to learn more about their research, a women in sport themed snakes and ladders board game, and guest appearances from UC and our industry partners so you can learn more about the research being undertaken and ask questions.

Whether you’re considering a career in sport, interested in undertaking a research degree, want to know more about our sport research or how you can support our researchers, or you're interested in learning more as an athlete, coach, administrator, organisation, or parent, this showcase is a unique insight into women’s sport research at UC. This event caters for all ages and abilities.

Activities:

Posters display: Westfield open hours, 1-27 November.
Drop-in sessions and other activities with the Women in Sport PhD candidates, industry partners (see list below), and UC's Graduate Research School will be confirmed closer to November.

Research posters will display the work of our Women in Sport Scholarship holders:

Craig Bolger – ACT Brumbies: Evaluating the physical demands of female rugby union.
Andrie Steyn – Australian Institute of Sport: Jet Lag and Travel Fatigue in Elite Athletes.
Molly Highfield – Australian Sailing: Enablers and Challenges for Female Athlete Development on Australian Olympic Sailing Pathways.
Riley Brassington – Canberra Raiders: Breaking the Line in Female Rugby League: The Unique Demands and Key Characteristics of Female Rugby League Players.
Josh Waugh – Capital Football: Football’s Next Chapter: Advancing Athlete Monitoring Practices for Enhanced Performance in Women’s Football.
Kevin John – EO Lab: Sex-based differences in thermoregulatory, cardiovascular and neuromuscular adaptations to post-exercise hot water immersion acclimation and its impact on endurance performance in the heat.
Davide Mondin – NSW Institute of Sport: The ‘N_SWIFT’ project (NSW Inspiring Female Talent): remote support network for female talent development (coach-athlete-parent), training and performance health monitoring and coach education.
Lachlan Kerin – Queensland Academy of Sport: Performance, Profiling and Tapering in Elite Female Swimmers.
Nicola Pearce – Queensland Academy of Sport: Training & Performance Health of Developing & Elite Female Triathletes.
Elliot Dobie – Snow Australia: Performance and Injury Characteristics in Elite Level Women’s Snowsports.

More about the Women in Sport Co-Funded PhD Scholarships:

Under the University of Canberra’s (UC) ‘GAME ON’ 2021-2026 Sport Strategy, we partnered with 9 organisations to address knowledge gaps about women in sport through the creation of 10 Women in Sport Co-Funded PhD Scholarships:

ACT Brumbies
Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Sailing
Canberra Raiders
Capital Football
EO Lab
NSW Institute of Sport
QLD Academy of Sport
Snow Australia

The partnerships involve the industry partner co-funding a PhD candidate to undertake research in the partner’s context, such as women’s rugby union players, football players, swimmers and more. UC has strong connections to industry so our PhD Plus (Doctor of Philosophy) is highly practical and includes internship/placement opportunities for candidates to experience more during their study. Find out more about UC's research degrees on our website.

This is a free event held by the University of Canberra's Sport Strategy Working Group as part of Research Festival 2024. Get involved and explore the full program on our website.