³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ

Julian is an Applied Physiologist and the Lead for the Head Sense Cymru network, where he directs a pan-Wales initiative dedicated to concussion safety and neurological welfare in grassroots sport.

Drawing on a foundation in Biochemistry, a PhD in Exercise Physiology, and eight years of experience within professional sport performance pathways (including Rugby Union, Football, and Hockey), Julian has strategically pivoted his expertise toward preventative medicine and population health.

His current research portfolio, supported by the Welsh Government and World Rugby, centers on mitigating injury risk and developing robust concussion management frameworks in grassroots sport. This work is vital to the long-term sustainability of community sport and aligns with national health goals to reduce the long-term burden of neurotrauma.

As the Sport Injury Research Lead for the Welsh Institute for Performance Science (WIPS,Ìý), Julian serves as a critical link between clinical trauma research, national government policy, and community health outcomes. Through his leadership of the Head Sense Cymru network, he facilitates multi-agency collaboration to ensure evidence-based safety standards are integrated into Welsh sport.

Keywords: Applied Physiology, Neurotrauma,ÌýInjury Epidemiology, Population Health, Concussion Policy, Brain Health, Safeguarding.

Position: Senior Lecturer.

Email:

Telephone: (01248) 38 2197

Twitter:

Location: George Building, Normal Site

• PhD: Exercise Physiology
  2015
• MSc: Exercise Physiology
  Liverpool John Moores University, 2008
• Professional: PGCE
  Manchester Metropolitan University, 2006
• BSc: Applied Biochemistry
  Liverpool John Moores University, 1995

Julian supervises research projects for both undergraduate and postgraduate students and teaches applied physiology in the context of physical preparation of athletes and applied practice.

• Advanced Strength & Conditioning (Level 6 BSc)
• Research Project (Level 6 BSc & Level 7 MSc)
• Dissertation (Level 6 BSc & Level 7 MSc)
• The Sport & Exercise Science Practitioner (Level 7 MSc)

Current Research Supervision

Subhan Nazir (PhD, 2025 to present) - Effects of subconcussion, post-concussion exercise intolerance and post-concussion syndrome on brain chemistry. Funding: ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ.

(PhD, 2023 to present) - Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls' Youth Rugby (WISGYR Project). Funding: World Rugby.

Steffi Studt (PhD, 2023 to present) - Head Sense: Prevention of sport-related brain trauma in community youth rugby union. Funding: Academy for Health Equity, Prevention and Wellbeing.

Jack Bickley (PhD, 2021 to present) -ÌýDevelopment of elite performance in rowing. Funding: ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ and Welsh Rowing.

Marco Martin (PhD, 2020 to present) - Efficacy of triaxial accelerometry in soccer. Supported by MAPEI Sports Institute.

Previous research students

George Lowe (PhD, completed 2025) - Optimising Talent Pathways in Rugby Union: A Multidisciplinary, Mixed-Methods Approach to Talent Detection, Identification, Development, and Selection. Funding:ÌýESF Knowledge Exchange Scholarship Scheme (KESS II) with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

Ersagun Kepir (PhD, completed 2025) - Activations and Structures of the Lower Extremity Muscles: Implications for lower extremity injuries in sports. Funding:ÌýTurkish Education Ministry.

Dr Tom Chandy (Masters by Research, completed 2025) - Injury surveillance in female youth rugby union: A pilot study in the community sport setting. Funding:ÌýBritish Association of Sport & Exercise Medicine (BASEM).

Seren Evans (PhD, Completed 2023) - From surveillance to prediction: a multifactorial approach to injury risk in Senior Academy Rugby Union. Funding:ÌýColeg Cymraeg Cenedlathol and ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ.

Gokhan Yagiz (PhD, Completed 2023) - Muscle architecture of vastus lateralis and bicep femoris long head: implications for injury. Funding:ÌýTurkish Education Ministry.

Jessica Hughes (Masters by Research, Completed 2021) - Psychological and physical determinants of regional age-grade rugby players. Funding:ÌýESF Knowledge Exchange Scholarship Scheme (KESS II) with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

Davide Mondin (Masters by Research, Completed 2021) - Athlete monitoring in rugby union: inter- and intra-week associations of training markers with load during an entire Rugby Union Season.ÌýFunding:ÌýESF Knowledge Exchange Scholarship Scheme (KESS II) with the Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC).

Claire Griffith-McGeever (PhD, completed 2020) - Factors In Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: Chemosensitivity and Perception of Effort Before and After Loading of Respiratory and Locomotor Systems.ÌýFunding:ÌýColeg Cymraeg Cenedlathol.

Research

Julian’s research program is centered on Trauma Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, with a specific focus on the mechanical and physiological basis of brain injury (concussion). His work bridges the gap between laboratory-based physiology and national public health policy, aiming to quantify risk and implement systemic safety frameworks in community and grassroots settings.

Current Externally Funded Programs:

• Neurotrauma & National Policy: Lead for the Head Sense Cymru network, directing the Head Sense and Head Start projects funded by the Welsh Government and the Academy for Health Equity (AHE). This work focuses on the pan-Wales implementation of concussion management protocols.

• Population Health & Youth Safety: Principal Investigator for the Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls’ Youth Rugby (WISGYR) project, funded by World Rugby, examining injury risk and prevention in underrepresented community cohorts.

• Clinical Neurophysiology: Investigating the mechanisms of exercise intolerance and alterations in brain chemistry following sport-related brain trauma. This includes theÌýTackling Rugby Union’s Headache project, utilising pitch-side diagnostic technologies in collaboration with Head Diagnostics (funded by RWIF).

Ìý

Editorial & Peer Review Duties

Julian serves as an expert reviewer for national and international funding bodies, including UKRI (Medical Research Council).

Editorial Board Memberships:

• Review Editor: .

• Topic Editor: Frontiers (Multidisciplinary Approaches to Youth Development).

Peer Review: He regularly provides expert peer review for leading medical and physiological journals, including the Annals of Medicine, International Journal of Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine, European Journal of Sport Sciences, and the Journal of Sports Sciences.

2026

• Published
  Yagiz, G., Adanir, S., Akaras, E., ALDIRMAZ, C. & Owen, J., 30 Mar 2026, In: Gazi Journal of Physical Education and Sports Sciences. 31, 1, p. 39-48 10 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Yagiz, G., Adanir, S., Akaras, E., Owen, J., Åženel, A. & Paksoy, A. E., 27 Mar 2026, In: Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care. 7, 2, p. 408 414 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2025

• Published
  Kepir, E., Owen, J., Karatay, G., Car, B., Akaras, E., Yildirim, N. & Yagiz, G., 5 Nov 2025, In: BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation. 17, 9 p., 319.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Lowe, G., Owen, J., Gottwald, V. & Jones, E., 23 Apr 2025, In: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 7, 1568302.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Kirby, E., Jones, M., Evans, S., Gottwald, V. & Owen, J., 9 Oct 2025, In: BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 11, 4, e002736.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Evans, S. & Owen, J., 22 Jan 2025, The Conversation.
  Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
• E-pub ahead of print
  Lowe, G., Owen, J., Jones, E., Roberts, R., Hardy, J. & Gottwald, V., 26 Oct 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Sports Sciences.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Kirby, E., Jones, M., Evans, S., Gottwald, V. & Owen, J., 26 Jun 2025.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review

2024

• Published
  Owen, J. & Mullins, P., 11 Sept 2024, The Conversation.
  Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
• Published
  Owen, R., Owen, J. & Evans, S., 2 Sept 2024, Artificial Intelligence in Sports, Movement and Health. Dindorf, C., Bartaguiz, E., Gassmann, F. & Fröhlich, M. (eds.). 1 ed. Springer, p. 69-79
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
• Published
  Lowe, G., Evans, S., Gottwald, V., Jones, E. & Owen, J., 2 Jul 2024.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Kepir, E., Demiral, F., Akaras, E., Paksoy, A. E., Aktas, B. S., Cankaya, B. Y., Oztop, B., Yagiz, G. & Owen, J., 26 Jul 2024, In: Journal of Clinical Medicine. 13, 15, 4370.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Studt, S., Mullins, P. & Owen, J., 8 Jul 2024.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Kirby, E. & Owen, J., 26 Jun 2024.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
• Published
  Evans, S., Owen, R., Whittaker, G., Davis, O. E., Jones, E., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., 8 Jul 2024.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Evans, S., Owen, R., Whittaker, G., Davis, O. E., Jones, E., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., 24 Oct 2024, In: PLoS ONE. 19, 10, p. e0307287 e0307287.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Lowe, G., Gottwald, V., Roberts, R., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., 19 Jul 2024.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
• Published
  Atkinson, D., Kirby, E. & Owen, J., 23 Nov 2024.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
• Published
  Kirby, E., Jones, M., Evans, S., Gottwald, V. & Owen, J., 8 Jul 2024.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Owen, J. & Kirby, E., 28 Mar 2024, The Conversation.
  Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article

2023

• Published
  Griffith-McGeever, C. L., Owen, J., Earing, C., McKeon, D. & Kubis, H.-P., Jun 2023, In: Psychological Reports. 11, 11, 18 p., e15732.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Chandy, T., Evans, S., Gottwald, V. & Owen, J., 16 May 2023.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
• Published
  Evans, S., Whittaker, G., Davis, O. E., Jones, E., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., Jul 2023, In: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 37, 7, p. 1456-1462 7 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Evans, S. & Owen, J., 9 Mar 2023, The Conversation.
  Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
• Published
  Yagiz, G., Shida, N., Kuruma, H., Furuta, M., Morimoto, K., Yamada, M., Uchiyama, T., Kubis, H.-P. & Owen, J., Sept 2023, In: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 18, 9, p. 1030-1037
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Yagiz, G. & Owen, J., 5 Sept 2023, The Conversation.
  Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article

2022

• Published
  Yagiz, G., Williams, K., Owen, J. & Kubis, H.-P., 9 Dec 2022, In: PLoS ONE. 17, 12, p. e0278222 22 p., e0278222.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Evans, S., Davis, O. E., Jones, E. S., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., 3 May 2022, In: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 25, 5, p. 379-384
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Paludo, A.-C., Woodman, T., Owen, J., Rabelo, F. N., Bernacikovà, M. & Simões, A. C., 1 Oct 2022, In: Physiology and Behavior. 254, 113903.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Owen, J., Owen, R., Hughes, J., Leach, J., Anderson, D. & Jones, E., 28 Feb 2022, In: MDPI Sports. 10, 3, 20 p., 35.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Owen, J., Owen, R., Hughes, J., Leach, J., Anderson, D. & Jones, E., 11 Jul 2022.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Yagiz, G., Akaras, E., Kubis, H.-P. & Owen, J. A., 2 Feb 2022, In: Applied Sciences. 12, 3, 21 p., 1593.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2021

• Published
  Roberts, H., Griffith-Mcgeever, C., Owen, J., Angell, L., Moore, J. & Thom, J., Jul 2021, In: European Journal of Applied Physiology. 121, 7, p. 1871-1880 10 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Yagiz, G., Akaras, E., Kubis, H.-P. & Owen, J. A., 9 Nov 2021, In: PLoS ONE. 16, 11, 23 p., e0259821.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Fortunati, M., Gemelli, T., Puci, M., Drid, P., Owen, J., Bianco, A., D’Antona, G. & Rama, S., 10 Oct 2021.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Paludo, A.-C., Cook, C., Owen, J., Woodman, T., Irwin, J. & Crewther, B., Mar 2021, In: Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 61, 3, p. 461-467
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2019

• Published
  Earing, C., Owen, J., Griffith-Mcgeever, C., McKeon, D., Engeli, S., Moore, J. & Kubis, H.-P., Aug 2019, In: Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology. 266, p. 73-81
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Owen, J. A., Fortes, M. B., Ur Rahman, S., Jibani, M., Walsh, N. P. & Oliver, S. J., Nov 2019, In: International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 29, 6, p. 604-611 23 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2018

• Published
  Owen, J., Earing, C., Griffith-Mcgeever, C., McKeon, D., Engeli, S., Moore, J. & Kubis, H.-P., Sept 2018.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Mondin, D., Owen, J., Negro, M. & D'antona, G., 29 Nov 2018, In: Frontiers in Physiology. 9, 7 p., 1702.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2017

• Published
  Paludo, A.-C., Cook, C., Owen, J., Woodman, T., Owen, S. & Crewther, B., Jun 2017, In: Journal of Science and Cycling. 6, 1, p. 18-25
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2015

• Published
  Fortes, M., Owen, J., Oliver, S. & Walsh, N. P., 1 Aug 2015, In: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 16, 8, p. 708
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2014

• Published
  Fortes, M. B., Owen, J. A., Raymond-Barker, P., Bishop, C., Elghenzai, S., Oliver, S. J. & Walsh, N. P., 22 Oct 2014, In: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 16, 3, p. 221-228
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2013

• Published
  Owen, J., 1 Feb 2013, p. S7.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• Published
  Owen, J., 1 Feb 2013, p. S7.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review

2012

• Published
  Owen, J. A., Kehoe, S. J. & Oliver, S. J., 5 Sept 2012, In: Journal of Sports Sciences. 31, 1
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Walsh, N., Fortes, M., Raymond-Barker, P., Bishop, C., Owen, J., Tye, E., Esmaeelpour, M., Purslow, C. & Elghenzai, S., 25 Sept 2012, In: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 53, 10, p. 6622-6627 6 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2025

• Featuring expert insights from Dr Julian Owen and Steffi Studt, this session will unpack the latest research on brain injuries, challenge common misconceptions, and open up conversation around balancing safety with the benefits of youth sport participation.

  From assessment protocols in schools to concerns raised by parents, we’ll explore how communities can better support young athletes – reducing long-term risk without sidelining the joys and health benefits of staying active.

  Whether you’re an educator, health professional, coach, or simply interested in young people's well-being, this seminar offers a fresh perspective on an important topic

  7 Oct 2025

  Links:

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

• An overview of research focused on injury prevention in sport. The talk will present initial findings from two key projects: the Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls Youth Rugby (WISGYR) project and the Head Sense concussion prevention project. He will also discuss how this research aims to adopt a preventative and public health approach to develop population-level strategies for safer recreational sport.

  3 Oct 2025

  Links:

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

• External examiner for research Masters viva at University of Health Science, Istanbul.

  1 Sep 2025

  Activity: Examination (Examiner)

• External examiner for PhD viva at University of Limerick

  3 Jul 2025

  Activity: Examination (Examiner)

• Presentation at the Bangor Institute of Health and Medical Research (BIHMR)

  26 Jun 2025

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

• Research lead for sport injury discipline. WIPS is a three-way partnership between Sport Wales, Wales’ leading academic sport scientists and relevant industry partners to support multi-disciplinary, world-leading, applied performance science projects that enhance the performance of Welsh athletes and businesses.

  1 Jun 2025

  Links:

  Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)

• UKRI Grant APP59606: Traumatic Brain Injury Thresholds Study (TBI-TS)

  24 Mar 2025

  Activity: Types of External academic engagement - Membership of peer review panel or committee (Contributor)

• Our Rugby Knowledge Exchange group were invited to the University of Limerick to visit the Irish Rugby Injury Surveillance (IRIS) group and staff from the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to present our latest research in player welfare in rugby union.

  20 Jan 2025 – 23 Jan 2025

  Activity: Visiting an external academic institution (Visiting researcher)

2024

• 20 Jul 2024

  Links:

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

• Invited to attend the inaugural conference of the WRU Women and Girls in Rugby Union Game Changers Conference.

  26 Apr 2024

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Participant)

• Female Rugby Player Welfare Project

  29 Mar 2024 – 6 Apr 2024

  Links:

  • /news/2024-04-10-player-welfare-support-to-womens-u18-six-nations-from-bangor-researchers
  Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Organiser)

• Presentation to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) on how research from the School of Psychology and Sport Science at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ can help develop rugby performance pathway for both males and females in Wales.

  1 Feb 2024

  Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)

• 31 Jan 2024

  Links:

  • /news/2024-02-01-together-we-are-stronger-the-football-association-of-wales-visit-bangor-university
  Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)

2023

• BASEM Research Bursary Prize Presentation.

  6 Oct 2023

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

• Providing physiology input on the GB Rowing panel to develop applied practice for beach sprint rowing after acceptance as a Commonwealth Games sport.

  1 Sep 2023 →

  Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)

• As part of the World Rugby funded research project examining injury risk, staff at the School of Psychology and Sport Science engaged with some 300 female rugby players across the nine Welsh Rugby Union female hubs in north Wales and commissioned a bilingual film to capture the spirit of female youth rugby in the region. The follow-on project resulting from this collaboration will be the World Rugby funded Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls Youth Rugby project (WISGYR).

  1 Jul 2023 – 30 Sep 2024

  Links:

  • /wisgyr
  • /community/bangor-university-community-fund
  Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition (Contributor)

• Commissioning a film to drive public awareness in our Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls Youth Rygby (WISGYR) project

  1 Jul 2023 – 1 Feb 2024

  Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Media article or participation (Contributor)

• Review Editor within Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation:

  The Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation section of Frontiers in Sports and Active Living publishes high quality experimental, applied, clinical, and translational (i.e. knowledge translation) research across the fields of sports medicine, rehabilitation, sports science, strength and conditioning, and with a multidisciplinary approach including but not limited to physiological, biological, biomechanical, lifestyle (e.g. nutrition, sleep), psychological and societal aspects. The areas covered in this section inform contemporary scientific and practical knowledge of injury prevention and rehabilitation aimed at keeping individuals active and involved in sports.

  29 Jun 2023

  Activity: Editorial activity (Editorial board member)

• External examiner for the School of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Brighton.

  2 Apr 2023 – 1 Jun 2027

  Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)

2022

• Anthropometric and psychological profiles of the World’s best Beach Sprint Rowers to determine future talent identification and selection protocols - research carried out by BU at 2022 World Coastal Rowing Championships.

  Rees et al.’s (2017) review of current knowledge on the development of the World’s best sporting talent, recommends practitioners adopt anthropometric profiling for talent selection protocols and psychological profiling for talent development purposes. Of note, Hardy et al. (2017) state anthropometric and psychological profiles are almost certainly sport specific. This also builds on Gottwald et al. 2022 work with Weightlifting Wales (KESS II funded).

  Project outcomes will be fourfold: (1) inform the development of talent selection and development protocols within British Rowing and globally; (2) contribute to research excellence via two high calibre REF returnable manuscripts and contribution to an impact case study (REF 2028); (3) strengthen industry partnerships via fostering relationships with Welsh, British, and World Rowing; and (4) enhance the student experience by providing skill development and employability opportunities for BU students. (1)Aligned with BU’s economic, social and civic impact, data will be used to inform talent identification, selection, and development protocols. Beach sprint rowing remains in its infancy and researchers and practitioners are yet to determine the optimal anthropometric and psychological profile for successful performance at the highest level of this sport. Having this unique data set will allow us to have genuine impact and raise the profile of the sport by enhancing the calibre of athletes competing within it. Similarly, data will contribute to enhanced inclusivity in rowing. Where traditionally, rowing has relied upon selection protocols biased towards ‘tall and talented’, the different physical demands of beach sprints will likely suit a smaller stature retaining a broader range of athletes within the sport. However, this shift is unlikely to happen without the proposed data to support it. (2)Aligned with research excellence, this work will contribute to a likely 4* rated REF impact case study (ICS) surrounding talent identification and development, continuing the School’s successful track record of this type of activity (1 x 3.5* and 1 x 4* REF 2020 ICS). It is well aligned with other talent related projects culminating within the current REF 2028 period, so would contribute to create some critical mass in this area (e.g., work with Weightlifting Wales / UK Sport Pathway to Podium / ECB). As testament to the potential calibre of this applied project, it has been supported in principle by the Welsh Institute of Performance Sciences; a three-way partnership between Sport Wales, Wales’ leading academic sport scientists, and relevant industry partners to support multi-disciplinary, world-leading, applied science projects that enhance the performance of Welsh athletes and businesses. The project will aim to culminate in one strong REF returnable output investigating the anthropometric and psychological determinants of expertise in beach sprinting; based largely on this being the first dataset of its kind and the unique nature of the elite sample. Data will also contribute to a second talent transfer oriented dataset (funded by Welsh Rowing) investigating differences in anthropometric and psychological profiles of beach sprinters transferring from traditional flat-water backgrounds to coastal rowing (the most common pathway rowers currently progress to elite levels within the sport). This will likely be another strong output due to talent transfer being a relatively novel aspect of the talent literature and the cutting-edge analytic techniques (i.e., pattern recognition analysis) we will utilise. Outputs produced by all the authors were entered in REF 2021 and were of at least 3* quality. (3)Our involvement in this event will support the primary research team to strengthen existing research collaborations with Welsh Rowing whilst developing new collaborations with British Rowing and the World federation, increasing the scale and scope of our research partnerships. This is consistent with the BU research strategy to increase visibility and impact of its world-leading research by fostering relationships with industry partners. We anticipate that this will help set the scene for future impact related work; one initiative World Rowing have already shown a keen interest in is the development of a new contemporary GPS-based timing system for the sport, which would have global impact and potential enterprise opportunities.

  Funding awarded through the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Innovation and Impact Award (Research Wales Innovation Funding). Value = £8,783

  4 May 2022 – 30 Apr 2023

  Activity: Other (Contributor)

• Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) or ‘concussion’ affects 42 million people globally per year, with evidence emerging of an increased risk associated with history of repeated mTBI in the development of neurodegenerative disease. Therefore, accurate diagnosis is a priority, particularly in populations who are at a higher risk of acute and repeated mTBI, such as those participating in high-risk sports like Rugby Union. In practice, diagnosis is complex and relies on subjective clinical evaluation. Advances in brain imaging may provide a solution for misdiagnosis but has time and cost related barriers when rapid or repeated head injury assessment is required. Therefore, the primary aim of this study will be to evaluate the utility of an innovative handheld device that provides a rapid assessment of mTBI via changes in ocular micro-tremor (OMT). The study will assess the validity of the device in the Rugby Union setting to diagnose (i) acute pitch-side mTBI, (ii) mTBI 48-hours following a suspected injury when symptoms can be more pronounced and assess (iii) the long-term effects of a competitive Rugby Union season on brain function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and assess potential correlates of brain imaging and OMT.

  If successful, this proof of concept study will likely be expanded to an International research project possibly within the URC European professional league. It is linked to ongoing research within HBS regarding concussions, particularly related to sports injuries.

  Involvement of Welsh Rugby Union Medical and Player Welfare Department, Rygbi Gogledd Cymru, Head Diagnostics Ltd,

  Funding awarded through the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Innovation and Impact Award (Research Wales Innovation Funding). Value = £33,133

  4 May 2022 – 30 Apr 2023

  Activity: Other (Contributor)

2021

• Editorial Board Member

  1 Sep 2021 – 1 Sep 2023

  Links:

  Activity: Editorial activity (Editorial board member)

• Chair of the National Panel for Sport.

  1 May 2021 – 1 Apr 2022

  Activity: Membership of board (Chair)

• Developing units of digital learning for the subject area of sport including sport coaching and health and wellbeing.

  1 Feb 2021 – 1 Oct 2021

  Activity: Consultancy (Consultant)

2019

• Independent board member with strategic responsibility for athletic performance.

  1 Aug 2019 – 6 Apr 2021

  Activity: Membership of board (Director)

2016

• 7 Oct 2016

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

• 16 Sep 2016

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

• 01/06/2023 – 31/10/2026 (Active)

  Description

  Research project including a three-year injury audit to determine injury risk in female youth community rugby.

  Links:

• 01/09/2021 – 17/02/2024 (Finished)

  Description

  Enhancing Talent Systems in Rugby Union

• 01/11/2019 – 31/03/2024 (Finished)

  Description

  Developing Rugby Talent in North Wales: Psychological and physical determinants of regional age-grade rugby players.

• 27/06/2018 – 01/08/2022 (Finished)

  Description

  Athlete monitoring in rugby union: inter- and intra-week associations of training load with musculoskeletal screening tests during an entire Rugby Union Season.

Grant