Dr Samuel Leaney, who recently completed his PhD in Sport, Health and Exercise Science, attended the Physiological Society's Global Climate and Health Summit in London during the 2025–26 academic year thanks to support from the Jeremy Howell Sports Science Scholarship.
Following his presentation at the School of Psychology and Sport Science Annual Conference 2025, Samuel was awarded the scholarship through the generosity of Professor Jeremy Howell, a ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ alumnus (Physical Education, 1981) and Honorary Fellow (Sports Science, 2015). The award enabled him to attend the summit in July 2025.
During his PhD, Samuel investigated the effects of heat therapy on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health, exploring whether hot water immersion could improve heart and brain health. The research involved collaboration with more than 20 undergraduate and postgraduate students, six PhD researchers, and academic partners from ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ, the University of Innsbruck, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Cardiff Metropolitan University. The project resulted in three first-author peer-reviewed publications and provided students with valuable experience in research methods, physiological testing, data analysis, and scientific publishing.
The Global Climate and Health Summit brought together researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and climate experts to explore the growing connections between climate change and human health.
Dr Vicky Gottwald, Lecturer in Sports Science, shared:
Since its inception, the Jeremy Howell award has supported several of our postgraduate researchers (PGRs) to attend academic conferences around the world. Fostering a research culture where our PGRs are able to thrive is an important part of our identity in Sports Science at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ, and the Jeremy Howell award has undoubtedly contributed to this.
Through the Jeremy Howell award, our PGRs have gained vital presentation experience, had opportunities to travel and experience different cultures, connected with other PGRs globally, and been supported to build important research networks for their futures. We are incredibly grateful for the services to sport science that Professor Howell has enabled.
The Jeremy Howell Sports Science Scholarship continues to support postgraduate researchers at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ, helping them broaden their academic horizons and maximise the impact of their research.