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Early Career Network

Early Career Network

The ISPAH Early Career Network (ECN) is a network of self-defined “early career” researchers and practitioners. The aim of the network is to foster the interaction, capacity and growth of early career professionals in physical activity and public health.

Our main objectives are to:

  • Facilitate connections and the sharing of knowledge/skills between early career ISPAH members
  • Develop capacity and key skills in early career ISPAH members (e.g. grant writing, networking, career development) through regular webinars.
  • Enable informal mentoring for early career ISPAH members through connections with more experienced leaders in their field
  • Enable ISPAH ECN members to share their research by regularly profiling our members on the ISPAH newsletter.
  • Organise networking and mentoring events at major international conferences

Early Career Network Knowledge Translation Fund

The Early Career Network is proud to announce a grant scheme to support ISPAH early career professionals with knowledge translation (KT) projects.

It’s important that valuable research on physical activity is available to those who can put the information into practice. KT can bridge the research-practice gap.

Early career professionals may lack the skills, support or funding to fully engage with relevant media technology, professional services, or training. Therefore, ISPAH Early Career Network is providing small grants to early career members to fund KT activities.

KT plays a key role in the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA), which advocates translating and presenting evidence urgently. We hope that extra financial support will help Early Career Professionals work towards GAPPA’s objectives. We have previously published a commentary paper on the role of Early Career Professionals with the GAPPA.

The grant scheme will fund KT for physical activity projects and the call for applications will close 23 November 2020. For example, funds could be used for:

  • Courses to learn skills that will allow the researcher to translate research into different formats, e.g., videos, blog posts, podcasts, or infographics.
  • Professional graphic design services or software (e.g., Vyond, Piktochart, etc.)
  • Language translation
  • Any other activity that promotes KT (e.g., co-creation design processes, stakeholder engagement meetings, etc.)

Although KT can be used to disseminate research at academic conferences, funds will not be awarded for activities related to conference attendance such as travel, poster printing, and registration etc.

Three awards of a maximum of $250 (USD) are available. Funding is available for projects which fulfil the following criteria.

Mandatory criteria:

  • Research is related to physical activity
  • Applicant fits ‘early career’ definition. We define early career researcher as someone actively involved in research (authored or co-authored at least one published academic paper in the last 3 years), and who is 7 years or less (full time equivalent) since the completion of a PhD. Please note applicants do not have to hold a PhD.
  • Applicant is an ISPAH member (To check your ISPAH membership status sign in to the website or contact [email protected])
  • Proposed project involves ‘knowledge translation’ of the applicant’s research (including co-authored work)
  • Applicant has clearly stated in the application form (linked below) how funding will be spent

Desirable criteria:

  • Preference will be given to end-stage research rather than early-stage research such as pilot studies.
  • Identify how the KT relates to ISPAH goals, the GAPPA, and/or ‘down the track’ impact.

Applications will open on 26th October – apply here!

If you have any questions about the application procedure or the small grants, please contact [email protected].

ECN Member of the Month

Profile picture of Ryan Pinto
Ryan Pinto
MPT/PhD student, Western University, Canada
Chloe-Profile
Chloe Forte
PhD student, University of Limerick, Ireland
IPtwitter - Ilaria Pina
Ilaria Pina
PhD student, University of Stirling, Scotland
Profile Picture
Brianne Bruijns
PhD Student, Western University, Canada
photo 300x300
Nobuaki Tottori
Postdoctoral Fellow, Ritsumeikan University, Japan
IMG_2035 - Aubree Worobetz_300x300
Aubree Worobetz
Final Year Graduate-Entry Medical Student, University of Limerick, Ireland
Kwok Ng - 300x300
Kwok Ng
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, Finland & University of Limerick, Ireland
Profile Picture - Radhika Jadhav - 300x300
Radhika Aditya Jadhav
PHD student, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India
Profile Picture - Allie Welsh
Allie Welsh
Lecturer, University of East Anglia, UK
Profile Pic - Chalchisa Abdeta
Chalchisa Abdeta
PhD candidate, University of Wollongong, Australia
See more ECN Members of the Month
Apply to be featured as ECN Member of the Month

Governance

Kim Straun - 300x300
Kim Straun
ECN Chair
Joey Murphy
Joey Murphy
ECN Vice-Chair
photo - Myrto Mavilidi
Myrto Mavilidi
Secretariat
ProfIlaria - Ilaria Pina
Ilaria Pina
EURO regional representative
Erin Headshot
Erin Shellington
ISPAH 2021 Congress Representative
Edtna Jauregui
Edtna Jáuregui
PAHO Regional Representative
Headshot - Ryan P
Ryan Pinto
PAHO Regional Representative
Kelly Mackenzie
Kelly MacKenzie
Communications
Matteo Crotti - 300x300
Matteo Crotti
Communications
Profile pic (1) - Katharina Kariippanon
Katharina Kariippanon
WPRO Regional Representative
chalchisa-abdeta
Chalchisa Abdeta
AFRO Regional Representative
Sarah Edney - 300x300
Sarah Edney
SEARO regional representative
Ruben
Rúben Viegas
PROJECT OFFICER
vacancy-icon-ispah
EMRO regional representative
position vacant, please email [email protected]

Ways to get Involved

The network is free to join as an ‘early career’ ISPAH member. New and renewing members can select to join the ISPAH ECN during the membership registration process.

Addressing Mental Health and Wellbeing for Early Career Professionals

Click on the button below to view 9 tips from Dr Catherine Draper (University of Witwatersrand) and Ben Higgs (Rise Foundation).

Click to view tips

About

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Ryan Pinto

Institution:

Western University

Area of work (e.g. PhD topic, job title)

MPT/PhD Student

Tell us about your current work?

My PhD research explores the relationship between mechanics and inflammation in knee osteoarthritis (OA), and forms a substantial portion of the Western Ontario Registry for Early OA (WOREO) Knee Study; a prospective cohort collecting longitudinal demographic, clinical, body composition, biochemical, biological, biomechanical and imaging data. WOREO is unique among knee OA cohorts as it includes patients with OA ranging from very early to end-stage disease, subgroups of OA types, and extensive baseline assessments using laboratory, functional and clinical tests. The aims of my research are to investigate the effect of local inflammation on joint loading and the effects of treating local inflammation on joint loading. Additionally, I will be assessing the various risk factors and their association with incidence and progression of radiographic and symptomatic knee OA.

If applicable, please feel free to provide a link to your most resent research publication.

https://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(20)30440-4/fulltext

Favourite thing about this work?

Patient interaction in a clinical setting

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

Working with high risk patients during COVID-19

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Persistence and time management are key. It is important to find a balance between your research and your other hobbies/interests.

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

Golf

Chloe Forte

Institution:

University of Limerick, Ireland

Area of work (e.g. PhD topic, job title)

Associations between movement behaviours and complete mental health in adolescents

Tell us about your current work?

Currently, I am focusing on screen-time and sedentary behaviour associations with mental health (depression and anxiety) in young people. This is a growing area that a has seen a spike of interest lately due to the present worldly circumstances. A particular focus of this work for me is the context of the sedentary behaviour in question – mentally active sedentary behaviours (e.g. reading, computer use for homework etc.) or mentally passive sedentary behaviours (e.g. television/ Netflix/ YouTube viewing). We aim to explore the potentially different associations between these sedentary behaviours, physical activity and feelings of depression and anxiety in a population of adolescents. This is exciting work for me and I am looking forward to disseminating the results!

I am also currently involved in work investigating the dose-response relationship of screen-time sedentary behaviours, physical activity and mental health, a review and cross-sectional work on movement behaviours and complete mental health in adolescents and work surrounding the measurement of positive mental health in adolescents.

Favourite thing about this work?

My favourite thing about my work is the real life benefit it may have on my own life and health! Researching sedentary behaviour is a constant reminder to keep moving. Often we do not notice being sedentary for 8+ hours a day, and as many of us are physical activity researchers we may attempt to offset the negative impact of long hours of sedentary time with a long workout at the end/beginning of the day. Reading and writing about the impact that sedentary behaviour may have on your mental health has reminded me to break up those long sitting periods throughout the day.

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

I am sure this is a common answer to this question, but the inception of COVID-19 has led to large changes in my PhD work. I was due to begin my data collection for my intervention study in April 2020, naturally, due to the closure of schools I was not able to complete this. My research team and I had to re-group and quickly find alternative methods of data collection, and also study design for my PhD. Thankfully, a year later, I have hopefully ‘COVID- proofed’ the rest of my PhD project!

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

My biggest piece of advice would be to acknowledge when over-working is becoming a consistent theme in your life. You need to know when to put your foot down and reach out to people for support. The over-working culture in academia is inevitably detrimental to mental health across the board. In my opinion, the risks greatly outweigh the benefits on this one!

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

During lockdown I have recently discovered a love for yoga. There is nothing better than a deep stretch and a few mindful moments for a wind-down after a day’s work!

Ilaria Pina

Institution:

University of Stirling

Area of work (e.g. PhD topic, job title)

PhD: Sarcopenia, mobility, and 24-h movement behaviours in South African and Scottish older adults across different socioeconomic settings.

Tell us about your current work?

I am currently in the final year of my PhD at the University of Stirling (UK). I am passionate about research in healthy ageing and health inequalities. Indeed, for the past three years my research has focused primarily on differences in 24-h movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep) and their associations with health outcomes (musculoskeletal health, body composition, and adiposity) in high-income Scottish and low-income South African older adults. I would like to further explore and develop my PhD project with new collaborations.

If applicable, please feel free to provide a link to your most resent research publication.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4310

Favourite thing about this work?

The opportunity to meet and learn from different people.

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

Complete my PhD thesis during lockdown.

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Be kind to yourself and make the most of each opportunity to learn.

 Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

A good balance between Italian cuisine and weight training.

Brianne Bruijns

Institution:

Western University, Canada

Area of work (e.g. PhD topic, job title)

I am a PhD candidate conducting research on the development and pilot implementation of a physical activity and sedentary behaviour e-Learning course for pre-service early childhood educators.

Tell us about your current work?

For my first PhD research project, I conducted a Delphi study wherein international experts in young children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour suggested, and rated the importance of, topics to include in an e-Learning course for early childhood educators (ECEs). These topics were then rated by a panel of Canadian early childhood education experts, and the final list of content areas was used to inform the development of the TEACH study e-Learning course. Once the course was created, I led the pilot implementation of the course with 32 pre-service (i.e., post-secondary student) ECEs and 121 in-service (i.e., practicing) ECEs, and measured changes in their physical activity and sedentary behaviour-related knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and perceived behavioural control via an online survey. I also gathered feedback from participants about the e-Learning course content, design, usability, and complexity via a process evaluation survey and interviews. Significant changes in participants’ knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and perceived behavioural control were observed, and we received very positive feedback about the course, with many participants suggesting that this course should be offered to all ECEs!

If applicable, please feel free to provide a link to your most resent research publication.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09670-w

Favourite thing about this work?

I love the feeling of making a difference in ECEs’ lives! Many participants were so thankful for the opportunity to learn more about physical activity and sedentary behaviour in childcare settings, and also noted that they were already using the activity ideas and resources we provided in the course!

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

When creating content for the e-Learning course, we couldn’t go into childcare centres to videotape real ECEs facilitating active lessons due to COVID protocols. We had to improvise, by going to childcare centre playgrounds on weekends (with our own kids and our friends’ kids) to get the video footage we needed! We also gave cameras to ECEs for a few days so that they could get some footage for us.

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Build your network! I was very fortunate to be involved with a research team of 11 incredible researchers from across Canada, and they were instrumental to the success of my PhD research! Connecting with researchers in the same field in other countries also helps you generate new ideas to try in your own country.

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

I grew up playing sports, and have stayed active throughout my 20s by playing co-ed recreational soccer, volleyball, and softball! I also love to travel – pre-pandemic I had travelled to over 30 countries!

Social Media Links 

Nobuaki Tottori

Institution

Ritsumeikan University, Japan

 

Tell us about your current work?

I currently work as a postdoctoral fellow at Ritsumeikan University. My primary research interest is to elucidate the benefits from physical activity and exercise to children’s present and future health. In recent years, I focused on two themes that are to 1) examine the associations between lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sleep, and dietary patterns) and psychological health (cognition, well-being, and quality of life), and 2) investigate the effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) on physical fitness and executive functions in children. In the future, I would like to investigate the ways to promote physical activity in children.

 

Favorite thing about this work?

Being involved with children’s future health and outcomes.

 

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

Conducting an online-based exercise intervention during COVID-19.

 

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Meet people who have a different perception on things (such as your research topic).

 

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

Brewing coffee.

 

Recent Paper

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4127

Aubree Worobetz

Institution

University of Limerick, Ireland

What is your area of work?

Final Year Graduate-Entry Medical Student

Tell us about your current work?

The research I’ve been involved with over the past four years has been centred around integrating an exercise and educational intervention into the medical school curriculum – an intervention known as the ‘MED-WELL’ programme. After an initial feasibility study that demonstrated the programme was of benefit and acceptable to students, the ‘MED-WELL’ programme was integrated into the medical school curriculum at the University of Limerick. Since integration we have continually evaluated and studied the programme, most recently on the heels of it being offered online due to COVID-19.

Favorite thing about this work?

The research team that I work with! My research supervisor and team are a passionate, dedicated, and supportive group of individuals. Research naturally presents itself with challenges and hurdles, and I am fortunate to have a great team to help navigate them all (and celebrate the successes!).

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

Integrating a new programme into a medical education curriculum is not an easy process, and comes with many barriers, administratively and otherwise. I think beyond the feasibility of this programme, its importance helped drive it to become a part of medical training. In general, we demonstrated an unmet need in the curriculum that could be achieved with the ‘MED-WELL’ programme.

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Take advantage of opportunities available as a student and in your early career to build a strong foundation of research and experience to carry forward into your future. 

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

I have always enjoyed playing soccer, and am currently playing with the Women’s National League in Ireland for Treaty United FC.

Recent Paper

https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-020-02097-2

Kwok Ng

Institution

University of Eastern Finland, Finland & University of Limerick, Ireland

What is your area of work?

Postdoctoral researcher

Tell us about your current work?

University of Eastern Finland – Special Education Unit (integrating education technology, special education and physical activity for teachers and students). University of Limerick – Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences (health promotion for whole school intervention – feasibility study). HBSC study member – Chronic conditions and disabilities working group chair and member of the physical activity focus group. Member of the CSPPA study – postdoctoral researcher. Assistant Editor of European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity. Vice President of European Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (www.eufapa.eu) and International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (www.ifapa.net). Teaching on research methods, and holds docent title of health promotion and adapted physical activity.

Favorite thing about this work?

Flexibility and diversity of work topics.

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

Learning the language to work more with local colleagues.

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Work with a mentor, attending funding acquisition training to get ideas about how to get funding, become and independent researcher, review scientific papers to learn the process from draft to publication, and attending educational science training to improve teaching strategies.

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

I am the chef historian for world paravolley, so am heavily involved in volleyball.

Recent Paper https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981211044988 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-708384/v1 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01164-8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101472

Radhika Aditya Jadhav

Institution

Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India

What is your area of work?

Full time PhD Scholar

Tell us about your current work?

Currently, I am a full-time PhD scholar at the Centre for Diabetic Foot Care and Research, which is part of the physiotherapy department. I work in the area of promoting physical activity in people with prediabetes. The majority of my work involves identifying people who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, evaluating people who have prediabetes, assessing and promoting physical activities. I also work with the encouragement of physical activity in other lifestyle disorders, such as metabolic syndrome. I’ve done some research on calculating the metabolic equivalent of common physical activities among Indians. I did a survey on the awareness of physical activity among Indian physiotherapists.

Favorite thing about this work?

My favorite aspect of my job is interacting with patients. Promoting leisure activities in low- and middle-income nations such as India is tricky. In this scenario, what I enjoy about my profession is educating people about the value of physical activity in various conditions and assisting individuals in overcoming barriers to physical activity. I have a supportive supervisor who encourages me at every stage of my work.

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

Due to government restrictions, encouraging individuals to be physically active during the Covid 19 outbreak was difficult. We were able to attain the goal to some part due to telephonic counseling and frequent text message reminders.

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

It is crucial to create a network and collaborate on research.

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

Traveling

Recent Paper

https://rdcu.be/cJ9PS

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2020.12.042

Allie Welsh

Institution

University of East Anglia (UEA), UK

What is your area of work?

Lecturer in Physical Activity and Health

Tell us about your current work?

Allie completed her PhD at the UEA in 2020. Her thesis examined the use of aerobic exercise to maintain cognitive health among stroke survivors. Specific contributions to research include a systematic review, aiming to quantify the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function; the development of a novel cardiopulmonary exercise test for people with severe movement impairments post-stroke; and the implementation and mixed-methods evaluation of a safe and feasible exercise intervention for people with severe movement impairments post-stroke. Further study within this area is ongoing. As a post-doctoral researcher, Allie’s research interests continue to include physical activity and exercise training for rehabilitation, physical activity promotion and inclusion within the community, utilising co-production methodologies. More recently, her interests lie within equipping community practitioners with the skills, knowledge and behaviours to promote physical activity and health for priority and marginalised groups. Allie is currently working on research scoping activities associated with physical activity and health literacy. This academic year, Allie lectures across the Physical Education, Sport and Health (PESH) cluster, leading on Anatomy and Physiology, Health, Health, Fitness and Training, and The Science of Physical Activity modules. She is also part of the teaching team delivering Research Methods and Health and Physical Activity Promotion for PESH and Health Science programmes. Allie supervises several undergraduate dissertation projects, covering a range of topics under the umbrella discipline of physical activity and heath.

Favorite thing about this work?

The privilege of working with and for people living in our community.

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

Moving from a more health science/clinical research context into the world of education has been challenging. Although advocating for the same things, I have had to learn a new language, a new way of framing scholarly activities and even a new list of appropriate journals to publish in!

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Be open to new ways of looking at a research problem. Ask a colleague who works in another field, a non-academic, a critical friend, or your research participants what they would do.

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

Yoga

Chalchisa Abdeta

Institution

University of Wollongong, Australia

What is your area of work?

PhD candidate, Adherence to 24-hour movement behaviour guidelines and associations with health and development outcomes in preschool children in Ethiopia.

Tell us about your current work?

I’m a PhD student at Early Start, University of Wollongong, Australia. I’m a member of the International Society of Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) and AFRO regional representative for ISPAH Early Career Network. I hold a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physiotherapy from the University of Gondar in 2009. Then, focused my graduate study in public health and graduated with a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Haramaya University in 2016. Furthermore, I took several training courses on physical activity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). I’m collaborating with different global organizations for physical activity advocacy, research and surveillance in Ethiopia. I actively engaged in the SUNRISE International Study (focus on 24-hour movement behaviour study in early years), Global Matrix initiatives (development of children’s physical activity ‘Report Card’) and Global Observatory for Physical Activity (development of adult’s physical activity ‘Country Card’) representing Ethiopia. My research focuses on children’s physical activity with special focus on 24-hour human movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep time) in early years.

Favorite thing about this work?

The favourite aspect of my job is being able to be a part of solution for closing the evidence gap on 24-hour movement behaviour in children in Ethiopia and feeling proud of my amazing supervisors who are always beside me to achieve my career plan.

What is a key challenge you have overcome with your work?

My key challenge was COVID-19 pandemic. But, my University and supervisors are so supportive and able to keep me on the right track remotely.

What piece of advice would you give to other ECRs?

Be focused on areas you like most and keep learning to be an expert in the field. Build a strong network in your field and keep collaborating for better results.

Tell us about one other hobby you have outside of your work?

I like to walk/run in the early morning.

Recent Papers

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chalchisa-Abdeta

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