Dr Alison Purvis PhD, MSc, PgCert, BSc (Hons), SFHEA
Interim Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning
Summary
Alison has over 20 years of experience in higher education and is a teaching and learning specialist who also maintains an active research profile in her discipline of sport physiology.
She has held a variety of leadership posts at Sheffield Hallam and has led strategic projects at institutional, college and departmental levels. Alison is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a senior member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, and a Senior Manager Member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity.
About
As an Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning Alison’s role is to provide visible strategic leadership of teaching and learning within the College of Health, Wellbeing, and Life Sciences. Alison is accountable for the student academic experience and she supports delivery of the University's strategic aims and operational priorities for teaching and learning. Alison's background is teaching and research in applied sport physiology and she currently teaches on the sport and exercise science related undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Her current research interests include the physiology of tennis during heat stress, nutritional and physiology responses to squash match play, thermoregulation of para-athletics, the relationship between ketosis and insulin resistance, and gestational diabetes in minoritised communities. Alison is also an active researcher in teaching and learning with a specific interest in the use of technology to support learning and teaching including the use of social media in higher education, and collaborative approaches to strategic technological implementation. Recently she has been undertaking collaborative work to develop models of staff engagement in anti-racist practice.
Teaching
Academy of Sport and Physical Activity
Health And Wellbeing
Sport and Exercise Sciences
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science.
MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Science.
MSc Advanced Sport Coaching Practice.
Foundations of Physiology and Nutrition for Physical Activity and Sport.
Applied Physiology and Nutrition of Sport and Exercise Project.
Research
- Co-production of a strategic technology roadmap for learning and teaching.
- Co-creation of a digital curriculum in the Academy of Sport and Physical Activity.
- Talking about Race and Racism. A qualitative study examining experiences of confronting issues of white privilege in a college community of staff, students, and partners.
- Talking about Race in the Academy of Sport and Physical Activity. A qualitative study examining experiences of confronting issues of white privilege with staff in a department.
Publications
Journal articles
Turner, O., Mitchell, N., Ruddock, A., Purvis, A., & Ranchordas, M. (2021). Elite squash players nutrition knowledge and influencing factors. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00443-3
Purvis, A.J., Rodger, H.M., & Beckingham, S. (2020). Experiences and perspectives of social media in learning and teaching in higher education. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 100018. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2020.100018
Jordan, A.R., Claxton, D., Purvis, A., Barnes, A., & Fysh, M. (2018). Sprint interval training on the vertical treadmill improves aerobic and anaerobic running performance. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 14 (1), 106-112. http://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1835122.561
Jordan, A., Barnes, A., Claxton, D., Purvis, A., & Fysh, M. (2017). Kinematics and neuromuscular recruitment during vertical treadmill exercise. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 13 (3), 307-314. http://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1734916.458
Ruddock, A., Robbins, B., Tew, G., Bourke, L., & Purvis, A. (2017). Practical cooling strategies during continuous exercise in hot environments: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 47 (3), 517-532. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0592-z
Ruddock, A., Tew, G., & Purvis, A. (2016). Effect of hand cooling on body temperature, cardiovascular and perceptual responses during recumbent cycling in a hot environment. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1-9. http://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1215501
Purvis, A., Rodger, H., & Beckingham, S. (2016). Engagement or distraction : the use of social media for learning in higher education. Student Engagement and Experience Journal, 5 (1). http://doi.org/10.7190/seej.v5.i1.104
Ruddock, A.D., Tew, G., & Purvis, A. (2014). Reliability of intestinal temperature using an ingestible telemetry pill system during exercise in a hot environment. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28 (3), 861-869. http://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182aa5dd0
Purvis, A.J., Aspden, L.J., Bannister, P.W., & Helm, P.A. (2011). Assessment strategies to support higher level learning in blended delivery. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 48 (1), 91-100. http://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2010.543767
Low, D., Purvis, A., Reilly, T., & Cable, N.T. (2005). The prolactin responses to active and passive heating in man. Experimental physiology, 90 (6), 909-917. http://doi.org/10.1113/expphysiol.2005.031294
Purvis, A., & Tunstall, H. (2004). Effects of sock type on foot skin temperature and thermal demand during exercise. Ergonomics, 47 (15), 1657-1668. http://doi.org/10.1080/00140130412331290880
Purvis, A.J., & Cable, N.T. (2000). The effects of phase control materials on hand skin temperature within gloves of soccer goalkeepers. Ergonomics, 43 (10), 1480-1488. http://doi.org/10.1080/001401300750003916
Conference papers
Purvis, A., Rodger, H., & Beckingham, S. (2016). Experiences of social media in higher education: barriers, enablers and next steps. In Social Media for Learning in Higher Education 2015 Conference proceedings (#SocMedHE15). Sheffield: Sheffield Hallam University: http://doi.org/10.7190/SocMedHE/2015/10
Ruddock, A., Chatziopolos, K., Parkington, T., Tew, G., & Purvis, A. (2014). Effect of hand cooling on body temperature, cardiovascular and perceptual responses during recumbent cycling in a hot environment. Journal of Science and Cycling, 3 (2). http://www.jsc-journal.com/ojs/index.php?journal=JSC&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=129
Low, D.A., Cable, N.T., Purvis, A., & Reilly, T. (2005). Prolactin Responses To Exercise In The Heat With Altered Skin Temperatures And Skin Blood Flow. MEDICINE AND SCIENCE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE, 37, S170. http://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200505001-00895
Low, D.A., Reilly, T., Purvis, A., & Cable, N.T. (2005). The prolactin responses to active and passive heating. FASEB JOURNAL, 19 (5), A1193.
Low, D., Cable, T., & Purvis, A. (2005). Exercise thermoregulation and hyperprolactinaemia. Ergonomics, 48 (11-14), 1547-1557. http://doi.org/10.1080/00140130500101387
Low, D.A., Cable, N.T., Purvis, A., & Reilly, T. (2004). Relationship between exercise hyperprolactinaemia and cardiovascular responses during prolonged exercise. MEDICINE AND SCIENCE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE, 36 (5), S24-S25. http://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-200405001-00115
Purvis, A.J., Low, D.A., Jackson, D.M., & Cable, N.T. (2001). PROLACTIN RESPONSE TO SOCCER SPECIFIC INTERMITTENT EXERCISE IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS. MEDICINE AND SCIENCE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE, 33 (5), S45. http://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200105001-00258
Book chapters
Beckingham, S., Purvis, A., & Rodger, H. (2014). The SHU Social Media CoLab: developing a social media strategy through open dialogue and collaborative guidance. In Proceedings of the European Conference on Social Media. Sonning, Wokingham: Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited: http://academic-conferences.org/ecsm/ecsm2014/ecsm14-proceedings.htm
Purvis, A., Crutchley, D., & Flint, A. (2009). Beyond peer observation of teaching. In Gosling, D., & O'Connor, K.M. (Eds.) Beyond the Peer Observation of Teaching. (pp. 23-28). London: Staff and Educational Development Association: http://www.seda.ac.uk/?p=5_1
Theses / Dissertations
Ruddock, A. (2017). Alleviating Heat Strain During Exercise: Hand Cooling and Thermoregulation. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Purvis, A. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00094
Jordan, A.R. (2013). The biomechanics of and physiological responses to vertical treadmill exercise. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Fysh, M., Claxton, D., Purvis, A., & Barnes, A.
Other publications
Purvis, A., & Cable, N.T. (2002). The effects of phase control materials on hand skin temperature within gloves of soccer goalkeepers. London: Routledge: http://www.routledge.com/9780415271257
Other activities
Member and contributor for the following organisations:
- Senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Senior member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences
- Senior Manager Member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity
- Member of the Women’s Sport Collective
- Member of the Higher Education Research Action
Group Peer reviewer for the following journals:
- European Journal of Sports Science
- Journal of Thermal Biology
- Nutrients
Postgraduate supervision
- The prevention of type II diabetes following gestational diabetes in minoritised communities.
- Temperature regulation in Paralympic athletes with spinal cord injury.
- The physiology and nutrition of squash.
- Coaches’ use of sport science research knowledge.
Doctoral Completions:
- DEBNEY, Matthew (PhD, 2021) – Director of Studies for a PhD titled “Heat Alleviation Strategies During Simulated Tennis Match Play in Hot Humid Conditions”. Sheffield Hallam University.
- RUDDOCK, Alan (PhD, 2017) - Director of Studies for a part-time PhD, titled "Alleviating Heat Strain during Exercise: Hand Cooling and Thermoregulation". Sheffield Hallam University.
- JORDAN, Alastair (PhD, 2013) – Second supervisor for a full-time PhD titled “Vertical treadmill exercise for physical conditioning”. Sheffield Hallam University.
- DAVIES, Andrew (PhD, 2006) – Second supervisor for a full-time PhD titled “The effects of different thermal environments on performance of manual handling tasks”. Sheffield Hallam University.LOW, David (PhD, 2004) – Second supervisor for a full-time PhD titled “The role of thermal and cardiovascular indices in the genesis of central fatigue during exercise in the heat”. Liverpool John Moores University.