Dr Samantha Fawkner (PhD, SFHEA)
Deputy Head of Moray House School of Education and Sport / Senior Lecturer in Physical Activity and Health
- Moray House School of Education and Sport, ISPEHS
- University of Edinburgh
Contact details
- Tel: +44 (0)131 650 9778
- Email: s.fawkner@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Moray House School of Education and Sport, SL 2.26
- City
- University of Edinburgh (Holyrood Campus)
- Post code
- EH8 8AQ
Background
I joined the University of Edinburgh as Senior Lecturer in Physical Activity and Health in November 2011. My reseach focuses on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and health in young people. I am also passionate about teaching. I currently co-direct the MSc Physical Activity for Health, and teach on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. I am currently the depute director of the Institute of Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences in the School of Education and Sport.
Qualifications
- Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy, 2018
- Level 3 accredited anthropometrist, International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry, 2017
- PGCert in Academic Practice, Heriot Watt University 2004
- PhD Paediatric Exercise Physiology, University of Exeter, 2002
- BSc(Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, University of Exeter, 1999
Responsibilities & affiliations
I am a member of the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC)
Undergraduate teaching
-
BSc Applied Sports Science
-
BMedSci Physical Acticity for Health
Postgraduate teaching
- MSc Physical Activity for Health (Co-course director)
- MSc Strength and Conditioning
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Current PhD students supervised
- Chuchu Li - The effect of classroom-based interventions that reduce sedentary behavior on school-aged children’s psychological and educational outcomes
- Nicky Laing- Why older adults start and continue to walk with walking groups
- Eva Coral Almeida - The role of standing desks on musculoskeletal disorders
- Helen Weavers- The effect of a resistance training intervention on physical activity levels in youths.
Past PhD students supervised
- Mhairi MacDonald- Walking for health in adolescent girls
- Chuang-Yuan Chiu- Building Individual 3D Human Models from Depth Images
- Laird Yvonne- Social support for physical activity in adolescent girls
Research summary
My PhD was in paediatric physiology, and focused on young people's responses to exercise, particularly non-steady state exercise and the oxygen uptake kinetic response, and I have an interest in the important role of growth and maturation on the exercise response in normal and 'athletic' children.
In the last decade, my research has primarily focussed on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in young people, specifically exploring low active groups (particularly adolescent girls), measurement of physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and interventions to encourage positive behaviour change.
My current research interests include
- Role of standing desks in schools on changing sedentary behaviour and optimising the learning environment
- The role of personal health monitoring in the classroom on positive behaviour changes and digital health literacy
- The potential role of walking interventions in adolescent girls to enhance physical activity
Project activity
Funded research since 2008
- 2013 Knowledge Exchange Grant, College of Humantities and Social Sciences, University of Edinburgh. £2,202 awarded to Samantha Fawkner - Woking together with the Hibernian Community Foundation to develop a programme to increase physical activity in adolescent girls
- 2012 Paths for All; £45,000 awarded to Ailsa NIven and Samantha Fawkner – Walking for Health in older adults. PhD studentship.
- 2012 West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership; £4,500 awarded to Samantha Fawkner and Ailsa Niven - Physical activity and nutrition status in families in West Lothian.
- 2010 West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership; £17,000 awarded to Samantha Fawkner and Ailsa Niven - Physical activity in primary and secondary school children in West Lothian.
- 2009 Scottish Government; SPARColl Physical activity for health PhD studentship - £61,000 awarded to Samantha Fawkner and Ailsa Niven - Walking for health in adolescent girls
- 2009 The Nuffield Foundation - £7447 Ailsa Niven and Samantha Fawkner – A qualitative investigation of the psychological determinants and consequences of walking for health.
- 2008 Scottish Funding Council; Knowledge exchange on public policy in Scotland - £54,174 awarded to Samantha Fawkner and Ailsa Niven - Increasing physical activity for health in hard to reach groups
- 2008 Chief Scientist Office; Small Grant award - £47,645 awarded to Samantha Fawkner, Ailsa Niven and Alasdair Thin - The potential health benefits for adolescent girls of active computer gaming.
- 2008 Paths to Health; £5,000 awarded to Samantha Fawkner, Ailsa Niven and Edward Finch – A pilot study to investigate active and sedentary behaviour in a work environment
-
Are doctors and nurses engaging in physical activity and its promotion?
(6 pages)
In:
British Journal of Nursing, vol. 32, pp. 144-149
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2023.32.3.144
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
"Are we working (too) comfortably?”: Understanding the nature of and factors associated with sedentary behaviour when working in the home environment
(1 page)
In:
Occupational Health Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-022-00128-6
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Concussion education in medical students studying in Scotland: an assessment of knowledge and future needs
In:
Brain Injury, vol. 36, pp. 1196-1203
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2022.2115139
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Use of a novel flipped classroom intervention to increase medical students’ knowledge of physical activity guidelines
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/mep.19176.1
Research output: › Preprint (Published) -
Scoping review of yoga in schools: Mental health and cognitive outcomes in both neurotypical and neurodiverse youth populations
(30 pages)
In:
Children, vol. 9, pp. 1-30
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children9060849
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Validity of the Fitbit Ace and Moki devices for assessing steps during different walking conditions in young adolescents
In:
Pediatric Exercise Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2021-0026
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
The impact of resistance training on strength and correlates of physical activity in youth
In:
Journal of Sports Sciences
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2021.1976487
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
The effect of physical activity interventions on executive functions in children with ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis
In:
Mental Health and Physical Activity, vol. 20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100379
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
What is the minimum step rate required to achieve moderate-intensity walking overground in adolescent girls?
(7 pages)
In:
Pediatric Exercise Science, vol. 32, pp. 197-203
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/PES.2019-0138
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The relationships between rugby union, and health and wellbeing: A scoping review
In:
British Journal of Sports Medicine
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102085
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print)