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Dr Susan Brown

Biography Susan has an interest in developing talent via a range of mechanisms, from biomechanics and human movement and the measurement of movement patterns in both sporting and clinical populations, to working closely with National Governing Bodies in Sport and Industry bodies to support workforce talent development, to supporting applied research activity within talented athletes and practitioners in the Return To Play journey. Her expertise in 3-dimensional motion capture and the interpretation of kinematic as well as kinetic data has allowed her to work effectively with practitioners supporting athletes in a variety of sports, as well as health practitioners looking into interventions which could help improve movement in MS, stroke and Ehlers Danlos sufferers.

Susan has also been an active facilitator of the development of education provision for coaches and athletes, and continues to work closely with national and international governing bodies and organisations dedicated to sport. Most recently as Chair of the Education sub-group of the Scottish Professional Development Board (CIMSPA), Susan has focused attention on the development of employability within the student experience through work-based learning initiatives aligned to the partnerships she has developed and within the realm of the student learning experience and journey. This work aligns Susan's passion for developing talent across the sector and in collaboration with Industry.

In 2014, Susan proposed a partnership between Edinburgh Napier University and Scottish Rugby to support the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy (Edinburgh) which has resulted in a purpose built high performance gym extension to the existing facilities. The partnership has also allowed the development of the Sports Coach UK accredited PG Diploma Sport Performance Enhancement (Rugby Union Coaching) and then following this, the PG Diploma (Gymnastics Coaching). More recently, Susan has led the development and implementation of the University Strategy for Sport as well as the Dual Career Policy (2017 and ongoing), and is currently leading on developing successful partnerships with the Scottish FA in the development of the Scottish Football workforce (2020 to present), the Super 6 rugby franchise initiative (2019 to present), and various professional football and sporting clubs across the country (ongoing). Since handing over her head of subject role in 2017, Susan has been concentrating on research output and partnership and enterprise activity, facilitating knowledge exchange projects between our University and the sport and exercise industry. For example, Susan has successfully developed a partnership with Arsenal Football Club for the purpose of a research projects around the area of Return to Sport - an evolving area of research within the subject group, and another in movement patterning in Academy players, both of which she is Director of Studies for in the respective PhD studentships.

As Vice-Chair of the Scotland Professional Development Board with CIMSPA (2020 to present), Susan is still actively involved in the development of the workforce within Scotland and provides expert opinion and support. Susan is also now leading the sub group on education as Chair for the SPDB with a particular focus on work-based learning for students within industry to align with both student employability needs and industry skill development.

Within the School of Applied Sciences, Susan leads on Innovation and Enterprise across the School, supporting knowledge exchange between colleagues and external partners with a particular focus on creating and developing societal impact.
Research Interests Biomechanics - Kinematic and kinetic analysis of human movement. Developing and supporting useful interventions which could improve quality of life.
Supporting the development of athletes in technique, conditioning and return to sport.
A key focus of Susan's research is the relationship between movement and performance outcomes, and the consideration of individual variance to allow coaches to select and determine technique variables which will affect performance, and those which can be left to individual preference.
Return to Play practice and characteristics of inciting activities leading to injury is also a key focus of research activity, as well as considerations around the RTP process and adherence to prehabilitation.
Teaching and Learning Susan has been a lecturer since 2002 at Edinburgh Napier University, and in 2012 was given the role of Subject Leader for Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences. In this capacity, Susan has helped colleagues develop both undergraduate and postgraduate education provision across the group. In addition, Susan has helped facilitate the development of a coach development programme and an online degree designed specifically for athletes, both of which are considered world leading. Since handing over that role in September 2017, Susan has been focussing on developing partnerships and enterprise activity within the group for the benefit of our students, and has recently led the online module, Work Based Learning which ran for the first time on the online degree for elite athletes.