Dr Jeanne Dekerle

Jeanne joined the 91¶¶Òõ in 2005 and has been a full-time lecturer since 2011.

Jeanne is teaching on core physiology and science-based modules (research methodology; philosophy of science) on our Sport and Exercise Science BSc, Sport coaching BSc, Applied Sport Physiology MSc and Applied Exercise Physiology MSc.

Since 2012, she has been the MSc course leader for our Sport and Exercise Science department, and in 2013, led a course team through the design, development and validation of two new MSc courses (Applied Sport Physiology MSc; Applied Exercise Physiology MSc). Recruitment and student and staff satisfactions have been excellent since then. Jeanne does enjoy her teaching activities.

Jeanne has a publication record of over 40 peer-reviewed papers concerned with exercise tolerance. Most of Jeanne’s work has been conducted in cycling ergometry and swimming. Jeanne was a swimming coach for many years. Her research and applied work in this sport has been recognised internationally with invitations to speak at overseas conferences located in Belgium, France, Portugal, Ireland, Canada, Italy and Brazil.

Jeanne strongly believes that “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” (Aristotle) so she has developed some productive collaborations over the years (UK, Brazil, France, Canada).

Jeanne is the Doctoral College liaison for her School and in her role, she facilitates the progression of over 50 postgraduate research students.

Jeanne-Dekerle

Dr Jeanne Dekerle

Principal Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology

How I like to teach

As an active researcher and consultant, I actively contribute to the design and application of research- and consultancy-informed teaching materials to foster students’ engagement, understanding of, and enthusiasm for the professional world.

I am keen to pilot different learning and teaching strategies to improve the courses I am involved with. In our postgraduate programme, I introduced a series of classroom-based Action Learning Sets for students to reflect and make the most of their Professional Enquiry experience (employability). The two MSc courses I lead today are entirely set on problem-based learning (PBL) scenarios to prepare students best for the ‘real world’. I recently piloted a PBL intervention in collaboration with the English Institute of Sport (EIS). Student feedback was excellent. It was a great experience.

Also,I would consider myself as an ‘early adopter’ of new learning and teaching technologies that I see as key for the new generation of learners. For example, supported by a Learning and Teaching Scholarship, I developed videos to support students with their use of Excel.

Some of the key areas I teach in are:

  • Exercise intensity domains and exercise tolerance
  • The muscle, the nervous systems, and exercise
  • Neuromuscular fatigue from the muscles to the brain
  • The lungs and exercise
  • The philosophy of science, scientific methods and methodologies, quantitative statistics
  • The physiology of training

My research interests

My research interest has long been human exercise tolerance, or the ability to sustain exercise, and mechanisms of fatigue. I believe a better understanding of the physiological and behavioural limitations to exercise gives exercise scientists, clinicians, or other practitioners, looking to enhance human exercise tolerance evidence for the development of robust science-based interventions. My work finds impact in the areas of health, sport and wellbeing.

Research activity

Current research projects

Research centres and groups

Social media

Contact me

Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME)
School of Sport and Service Management
91¶¶Òõ
Eastbourne
East Sussex
BN20 7SR

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 643759
Email: J.Dekerle@brighton.ac.uk

Biography

I completed my PhD in the field of Sport and Exercise Physiology in 2003. I was then successful in an Interreg III application (£263,000) so I moved to the UK for a two-year full-time position starting in 2005. I then decided that applying Sport Science was important to me so for another four years (2007-2011), I continued my applied work as a swimming coach alongside a part-time lecturing position I secured at the 91¶¶Òõ. I moved to what is today my current full-time lecturing position in 2011.

Research output

 

Consultancy

Since 2013, I have been an external consultant for the team of physiologists working at the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

PhD students

 
NameThesis

Ashley Willmott

 		 The effects of the interplay between acclimation state, training status and immune function from heat acclimation in endurance cyclists 

Lisa Schafer

 

Neuromuscular fatigue and exercise intensity domains

The effects of the interplay between acclimation state, training status and immune function from heat acclimation in endurance cyclists

Aaron Greenhouse-Tucknott

Identification of the neural processes mediating group III/IV muscle afferent feedback in the perception of effort during exercise.

Dr Rosie Twomey (completed in 2016)

Neurophysiological responses to rest and fatiguing exercise in severe hypoxia in healthy humans
Dr Kerry McGawley (completed in 2010)  The application of the critical power construct to endurance exercise 

Roles

Doctoral College Liaison for the School of Sport and Service Management
Applied Exercise Physiology MSc course leader
Applied Sport Physiology MSc course leader