Bio
Dr. Andrew Soundy is an Associate Professor in Physiotherapy at the University of Birmingham, recognised for his leading contributions to understanding psychological responses to chronic and palliative illness. His research is widely taught across Physiotherapy programmes and NHS Trusts, shaping how practitioners support and empower patients through enhanced therapeutic interactions. He completed his BSc and PhD at the University of Exeter, where his doctoral work examined physical activity among individuals with severe mental illness, followed by a PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education at the University of Birmingham. Dr Soundy is internationally recognised for advancing qualitative methodologies and health psychology. He developed the Model of Emotions, Adaptation and Hope (MEAH), which underpins psychological training for healthcare students and professionals. He has contributed to the World Health Organisation’s 2030 rehabilitation guideline development and is ranked within the top 2% of researchers globally. With over 7,000 citations and an h index of 50, his research spans therapeutic relationships, chronic illness experiences, sport and para-sport. He has an interest in qualitative evidence synthesis and has development a social constructivist meta ethnographic framework. He has extensive experience supervising PhD researchers, leading modules in research design, evidence synthesis, and literature review, and supporting interdisciplinary research development. His work continues to inform high quality, patient centred rehabilitation research across national and international collaborations.

Bio
Associate Professor in Sport Event Management Expertise: Olympic Games and mega‑event impacts; Sport tourism and athlete experience; Crisis and disaster management in sport events; Research involving female athletes in extreme climatic conditions (e.g., world championship conditions).

Talk
Women’s elite sport and Lego Serious Play

Bio
Dr Holly Henderson is a National Teaching Fellow, passionate about education innovation that enhances the learning experience, engagement, quality and outcomes in sport, business and health sciences. Combining her experiences with watersports coaching, competing and an unconventional career path frames and enhances her teaching, research and professional practice.

Talk
Evidence-Based Insights to Optimize Female Athlete Health and Wellbeing in Sport

Bio
Dr. Saidan Shetty is a Physical Therapist from India with specialization in Musculoskeletal Sciences and a strong focus on research and evidence-based practice. She completed her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India. Her academic training in Orthopaedics and Sports Physical Therapy, combined with her clinical and research experience, has strengthened her interest in athlete health, injury prevention, rehabilitation strategies, and performance optimization.

Bio
Dr Gemma Parry is a researcher and practitioner in sports rehabilitation, growth and maturation, and athlete development, with experience across both academic and applied high‑performance environments. Her work focuses on how growth and maturation influence injury risk, movement quality, and performance in youth and elite athletes.

Talk
Quantitative and qualitative perspectives on female wheelchair rugby work on strength differences

Bio
Ellie-May is a final-year Doctoral Researcher within The Centre for Para and Disability Sport Innovation, Loughborough University, United Kingdom. Her PhD examines the psychological stressors associated with wheelchair rugby classification and its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of athletes and athlete support personnel. Alongside her doctoral research, Ellie-May collaborates with World Wheelchair Rugby on projects aimed at increasing female participation in the sport. She has also contributed to psychological research initiatives with the World Anti-Doping Agency, The International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football, and The All England Lawn Tennis Club. Ellie-May is a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist, with expertise spanning both psychological research and applied practice. She currently works as an applied psychologist with the England Men's Mixed Disability Cricket Team and Leicestershire County Cricket Club, supporting psychological performance, mental health, and long-term athlete development.

Talk
Quantitative and qualitative perspectives on female wheelchair rugby work on strength differences

Bio
Thomas Rietveld is a senior research associate in wheeled sports and technology at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam and a visiting fellow of the Centre for Para and Disability Sport Innovation, Loughborough University, United Kingdom. His research focuses on wheelchair configuration and technology to improve the well-being and performance of wheelchair sport athletes (rugby, tennis, basketball, racing). His main research interests include the study of wheelchair propulsion, wheelchair configuration, technology, biomechanics, and Para sports. His next steps would be to extend European collaboration and apply the knowledge base from Para Sport to activities of daily living, to support the health and wellbeing of manual wheelchair users.