Dr Faye Didymus

Faye is Reader in sport and exercise psychology. She is chair of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology's Research Development Committee, a fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist.

Faye studied for her first degree in sport and exercise sciences at the University of Gloucestershire. She graduated with first class honours before spending a year in research at Brunel University, West London. Faye then moved to Loughborough University to read for a PhD in sport and performance psychology before joining the Carnegie School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University.

Faye's research focuses on athlete welfare using theories of psychological stress and well-being. She publishes her research in peer-reviewed scientific journals and regularly attends national and international conferences to disseminate the findings of her work. Faye's research has been funded by The Football Association, Sport Wales, UK Coaching, Funds for Women Graduates, the Sidney Perry Foundation, the Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group, the British Psychological Society, Loughborough University Graduate School, and Leeds Beckett University. Faye is as a peer-reviewer for a range of leading periodicals and international conferences.

During her doctoral studies, Faye received an Xcel Student of the Year award, which recognises academic excellence and non-academic achievements. Faye also received the Young Investigator Award at the International Convention on Science, Education, and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS), which recognises young leaders in research and is awarded to scientists who demonstrate state-of-the-art research. In 2016, Faye received a Promising Researcher Fellowship, which is awarded to early- or mid-career academics who excel in research.

Faye is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist, a Science Council Chartered Scientist (CSci), and holds primary certificates in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Training and Stress Management. During her applied work, Faye consults with sport performers, sport coaches, support staff, and organisations to facilitate optimal performance and well-being. Faye's previous and on-going applied practice includes work with organisations such as International Business Machines (IBM), the Lane4 Management Group, British Triathlon, the National Ice Skating Association of Great Britain, the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme, and Loughborough University Performance Sport.

Faye's outreach activity includes a variety of global and national media engagements. For example, she covered The Ineos 1:59 Challenge from the BBC Breakfast red sofa alongside Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt. Faye was an on screen expert for the BBC Earth Commissioned series "Meet the Humans" with Dr Michael Moseley, has featured on numerous radio programmes (e.g., BBC Radio 4's One to One series with Mark Steel), and was a live finalist on "I'm A Scientist, Get Me Out Of Here" (funded by the Wellcome Trust).

Faye is the course leader for the British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited MSc. Psychology of Sport and Exercise degree programme, is module leader for the Professional Practice and Major Independent Study modules on the same course.

In addition to her course and module leadership responsibilities, Faye contributes to various other modules (e.g., Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Research Methods) at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, is a postgraduate academic advisor, and supervises postgraduate and undergraduate student research projects.