About Jessica Mee (Principal Investigator)
Dr Jessica Mee is a UK Research and Innovation Future Leader Fellow. Working on a programme of work aiming to improve females’ health and performance by mitigating heat strain. Dr Jessica Mee has been working in environmental physiology for over 10 years.
In 2015 Dr Mee’s research demonstrated that females require more daily exposures to hot ambient conditions to establish hallmark heat acclimation adaptations, compared with males. Dr Mee then developed a mixed methods heat acclimation approach which combined daily exercise in the heat with a passive sauna.
This mixed methods heat acclimation method accelerated the rate of heat adaptation, confirming a time efficient strategy for females, which limits interference with preparations for relocation to a hot climate. Since then, Dr Mee with her national collaborators at Bangor University and Liverpool John Moores University developed and assessed the post-exercise hot water immersion (HWI) protocol for preparing to work in the heat.
The post exercise HWI protocol is a simple to administer, accessible, time efficient, cost-effective strategy, with a series of publications demonstrating the large magnitude of hallmark heat acclimation adaptions. From this body of research, Dr Mee, along with her national collaborators at Brunel University, the University of Brighton, Anglia Ruskin University and British Rowing, published a review and practitioner guidelines for heat alleviation strategies for athletic performance (Gibson et al., 2019). Due to the interest received in this body of work, Dr Mee was invited to be an expert panel member on the English Institute of Sport, Tokyo 2020, Beat the Heat advisory team to directly inform practice ahead of the games.
Jessica sits on the Climate Change and Sustainability (CAS) Advisory Group with the British Association for Sport and Exercise Science (BASES) and is a BASES accredited Sport Scientist in the domains of Research, Support, and Pedagogy.
Neil Maxwell (Co-Investigator)
Reader
School of Sport and Health Sciences
University of Brighton Email: N.Maxwell@brighton.ac.uk
X: @UoB_EEL
Dr Neil Maxwell is a Reader of Applied Environmental Physiology within the School of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Brighton, a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Through his research, knowledge exchange and education, Neil aims to inspire people to be better prepared for living and engaging in physical activity within environmental extremes to optimise performance and reduce incidence of illness.
Neil leads the Environmental Extremes Laboratory, where his research focus is towards heat reactions during exercise and evaluating practical heat therapy and mitigation methods (e.g. heat acclimation, pre and per cooling and hydration manoeuvres) across sport, health and clinical populations.
Beth Moxham (Research Associate)
Beth is a Research Associate on this UKRI funded project.
Beth graduated from the University of Chichester in 2021 in Sport and Exercise Science and has spent the past 3 years delivering research for the British Army, working within the Army Health and Performance Research team.
Beth has helped to deliver an innovative project within MoD surrounding female health, menstrual status, and ovulation. She has also supported other research focusing on bone metabolism, hormones, blood, and musculoskeletal health within female personnel.
Beth was a part of the organising committee for the 6th International Congress on Soldiers’ Physical Performance, London 2023 – a major international conference. Beth is keen to pursue a career in female health physiology, with the outlook to begin a PhD shortly.
Olivia Barnes (Research Associate)
Olivia completed her undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Brighton, where she continued her studies in MSc Applied Exercise Physiology.
Olivia has conducted her current research surrounding females’ susceptibility to heat illnesses, involving heat tolerance and heat mitigation. She has also assisted individuals perform periods of isothermic heat acclimation ahead of competing in the half Marathon Des Sables.
Olivia would like to pursue a career in environmental physiology, with particular focus on female populations in the heat. She also has hope to begin a PhD at the university soon.
Friends of the project
Dr Benedict Duncan
Lecturer
School of Sport and Exercise Science
X: @Benedictduncan
In 2017 Ben completed his PhD titled “The metabolic effects of acute and prolonged hypoxia” at the University of Brighton. Ben’s PhD examined the potential use of hypoxia (altitude) as a preventative and treatment tool for metabolic disorders, namely obesity. Ben’s current area of research interests, align with the physiology of endurance performance and the impact of environmental stressors such as heat and hypoxia on performance. Ben is interested in practical and accessible strategies that can be adopted to improve health and performance.
Gavin Thomas
Senior Lecturer
School of Sport and Exercise Science
X: @Gavinthomas101
Gavin Thomas is an accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Gavin has a broad area of research interests that align with sport and exercise science. Gavin’s research investigates human responses to heat stress, the use of acute cooling interventions, as well as women’s perceptions of working as strength and conditioning coaches.
Dr Oliver Gibson
Senior Lecturer
Brunel University
X: @iamolivergibson
Dr Oliver Gibson is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology at Brunel University London and member of the Centre for Physical Activity in Health and Disease.
Oli’s primary research interests relate to Exercise and Environmental Physiology and in particular the impact of Heat Stress on Human Health, Performance, and Function. Research in this area includes:
i) understanding the impact of climate change/heat waves on human health
ii) quantifying changes in endurance and team sport performance in the heat and examining methods to attenuate performance declines
iii) investigating the influence of temperature on skeletal muscle function.
Oli’s research also examines cross adaptation between environmental stressors, and the mechanistic role(s) of heat shock proteins in thermal adaptation.
Dr Jennifer Joyce
Senior Lecturer
School of Sport and Exercise Science
X: @Dr_J_Joyce
Dr Jennifer Joyce is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Course Leader for the Sport and Exercise Science course at the University of Worcester.
In 2013, Jennifer completed her PhD examining the effects of exercise on cognitive function in older adults at the University of Limerick. Jennifer’s current research investigates the relationship between ageing, exercise, and cognitive functioning. Jennifer is interested in the cognitive changes that occur when exposed to extreme environments and supporting improvements in cognitive function to improve humans’ health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
Emma Lawrence
BSc Sport and Exercise Science Student – University of Worcester
Emma Lawrence joined the University of Worcester as a Sport and Exercise Science student in 2022.
Emma is currently conducting her 3rd year placement and her Independent Research Project with the Female Heat Laboratory.
Emma has a particular interest in developing a career in research and is exploring opportunities to continue to develop her research skills.
Katie English
MSc Applied Sport Physiology Student – University of Worcester
Katie English joined the University of Worcester as a Sport, Coaching and Physical Education foundation student in 2018, before completing her BSc in Sport and Exercise Science.
Katie is now studying for her MSc in Applied Sport Physiology alongside conducting her placement and her Research Project with the Female Heat Laboratory.