Hi Christina, can you tell us a little about your journey to the UK and what drew you to Leeds Beckett and the research community here?

I'm from Edmonton, Canada, and I worked as a physiotherapist and primarily treated individuals with knee injuries for many years. My clinical experience combined with my personal experience of recovering from my own anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury inspired me to pursue my PhD. In 2022, I (finally!) completed my PhD which looked at health-related quality of life of young athletes following a knee injury.

On a more personal note, I played football when I was at university (and yes, it took me a couple of months to stop saying 'soccer'). Plus, I'm a huge women's sports fan. So, when I saw the job posting for a post-doctoral researcher for Project ACL, I knew I had to apply for it. For those who might not know, Project ACL is a collaborative research endeavour between Leeds Beckett University, FIFPRO, the Professional Footballers Association, and Nike that aims to reduce ACL injuries and increase player availability in professional women's football. Clearly, Project ACL ticked all of the boxes: knee injuries, women's sports, and meaningful research!

You completed your PhD at the University of Alberta in Canada. How have you found academic life in the UK so far, and what similarities or differences have stood out to you?

Canada might be a huge country, but with a relatively small population of around 40 million people, we have fewer opportunities to work in those sports compared to the UK. So, one of the first things that I noticed when I arrived at Leeds Beckett was how connected the Carnegie School of Sport is to the sporting community around it. Very quickly, I met colleagues working in football, rugby, cricket, athletics, and more. It was amazing to see how embedded research is within real-world contexts here. The breadth of sport opportunities and the sense of being part of applied research are things that stand out for me.

And in many ways, academic life feels familiar: great colleagues who share the same passion for meaningful work and who also experience the same “joys” of ethics and grant writing!

Can you tell us about the project you are working on as Post Doctoral Researcher, and some of the highlights you’ve experienced so far?

The overall aim of Project ACL is to minimise anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk and increase player availability in professional women's football. ACL injuries are known for the long, challenging rehabilitation. In recent years, several high-profile players, like Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson, and Sam Kerr, have experienced them.

Our research seeks to understand what current club environments look like in the Women's Super League (WSL) and how these environments may influence injury risk. To build this picture, we've planned a series of studies that will gather insights from both WSL players and multidisciplinary team staff, such as strength and conditioning coaches, physios, and doctors. Their perspectives will help us identify what currently works well in supporting players and what might need to be improved.

So far, some highlights include working with our diverse project team of researchers, practitioners, former players, and union representatives as well as attending our project launch event last September, which featured a short panel interview with Lucy Bronze, Lucy Staniforth, and Rachel Corsie. Listening to the players speak so passionately about the need for more research to support their health and well-being will never get old!

What has helped you to build a sense of belonging here in Leeds, both within and beyond the University?

Everyone at Leeds Beckett has been so warm and friendly, which has made the settling-in process much easier. Since moving here, I've tried to attend different post-graduate researcher (PGR) and early career researcher (ECR) events to meet people outside of my immediate area and get a feel for the wider research community. I also joined the organising committee for the Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN) Conference that we hosted in June 2025, and that was a wonderful experience. It wasn't easy work, but it was a great excuse to see some familiar faces every month or two. Plus, the conference was a hit, so it was lovely to see all of our efforts pay off!

Beyond campus, I've made friends with many of my neighbours (or, perhaps, gently forced friendship upon them). I've enjoyed wandering around the city, trying to find my favourite cafés (shoutout to Fika, Kulture Coffee, Raw, and Kapow) and spots (the beauty of the Corn Exchange gets me every time). All of these experiences have made Leeds feel a bit more like home.

What advice would you share with international colleagues and research students who are moving to Leeds for the first time?

My biggest piece of advice is to put yourself out there and attend different events hosted by the university. Go to a PGR or ECR seminar, a workshop, or a conference - they're great ways to meet new people. And when you do, try to learn not only what they do at the university, but what they enjoy outside of work. Those conversations make the biggest difference when you're trying to build a new community.

Also, don't forget to be kind and patient with yourself. Moving countries is a huge transition, and it's okay if it takes a while before things feel familiar. Don't hesitate to ask questions about the university, the city, or anything else. People here are genuinely happy to help!

Finally, make sure you explore Leeds and Yorkshire. There are lots of great cafés, walking trails, and music venues. Find your favourite spots and take advantage of them often!

Looking ahead, how would you like to see your research journey at LBU develop over the next five years?

Looking ahead, I'd love for my journey to continue integrating my clinical background with my research skills, especially in areas that support athlete health and well-being. Project ACL is a three-year project, and while I'm not yet sure what will come after it, I'm hoping to stay involved in women's sport - partly because there are still so many important questions to answer and partly because I'm a big women's sports fan. Whatever happens next, I hope my work continues to be meaningful, collaborative, impactful, and focused on promoting athlete health.

Find out more about the LBU Early Career Researcher Network and upcoming events.