Dr Joanna Thurston
- 01202 961699
- jthurston at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
- http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9241-8599
- Associate Dean Student Experience
- Bournemouth Gateway Building BG507, St Pauls Lane, Bournemouth, BH8 8GP
Biography
As Associate Dean for the Student Experience, Joanna works with the Faculty Executive, Department Heads and their Deputies, Programme Leaders, Programme Support colleagues and the Student's Union to support and enhance all aspects of our students' experience. Joanna strives to build a strong and collaborative relationship with the student body, ensuring feedback channels are available to all students, and responses to that feedback are transparent and actioned where appropriate.
As Deputy Head of Department for the Department of Rehabilitation and Sport Science, Joanna uses her innovative and student centred pedagogic philosophy to support programmes in their development of efficient, effective curricula, with a strong focus on the development of students as self motivated learners.
During her time at BU Joanna has been nominated for and received a number of awards for her innovative approaches to learning and was one of only 6 academic staff to be named as a BU Learning and Teaching Fellow in 2014...
Joanna's PhD research was an exploration of the experience of a diagnosis of premenopausal osteoporosis for a young, active female. She is currently working on a number of research publications in this area, as well as qualitative work in the fields of autism spectrum disorder, obesity and pedagogy.
Joanna joined BU following two years teaching at the University of Bath. Within BU she has been integral to the success of two key developmental areas: The establishment of the Academy of Performance Coaching, a platform through which any BU student can gain Health and Fitness qualifications; And the writing, accreditation and programme leadership of the BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy degree that launched in the Faculty in 2017.
Joanna joined academia in 2007 following a career in Sports Rehabilitation, during which she gained experiences from working with an elite performance coach in professional football, to supporting Hollywood movie stars on location. Within the football world Joanna completed consultancy as Bolton Wanderers, players at Chelsea FC and AFC Bournemouth. During her MSc in Sports Science and Medicine, Joanna completed work at the British Olympic Medical Association and orthopaedic theatres in both the NHS and private hospitals.
moreResearch
‘My Bones Won’t Break Me': A reflective topical autobiography exploring the experience of living with premenopausal osteoporosis.
Favourites
- Thurston, J., 2020. Opening a Door to a Private World: Using Auto/biographical Methodology to Explore Health Experience. SAGE Methods Cases.
Journal Articles
- Dunne, C., Callaway, A.J., Thurston, J. and Williams, J.M., 2022. Validity, reliability, minimal detectable change, and methodological considerations for HHD and portable fixed frame isometric hip and groin strength testing: A comparison of unilateral and bilateral testing methods. Physical Therapy in Sport, 57, 46-52.
- Bekker, S., Thurston, J. et al., 2020. Athlete health protection: Why qualitative research matters. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 23 (10), 898-901.
- Thurston, J., 2020. Opening a Door to a Private World: Using Auto/biographical Methodology to Explore Health Experience. SAGE Methods Cases.
Books
- Allen, S. et al., 2022. Fusion Learning Colloquium 2022 - Proceedings. Poole, UK: Bournemouth University.
- Allen, S., Bobeva, M., Budka, M., Clarke, S., Darby, I., Devis-Rozental, M., Holley, D., Iannuzzi, L., Phillips, P., Böckle, E., Polkinghorne, M., Quinney, C., Stewart, N., Tait, D., Taylor, D., Thurston, J., Watson, A. et al., 2022. Fusion Learning Conference 2021. Poole, Dorset, UK: Bournemouth University.
Chapters
- Thurston, J. and Polkinghorne, M., 2022. Students as Researchers. In: Drake, W., Roushan, G. and Polkinghorne, M., eds. Proceedings of the Fusion Learning Conference 2021. Poole, UK: Bournemouth University.
Conferences
- Thurston, J. and Polkinghorne, M., 2022. Students as Researchers. In: Fusion Learning Conference - Innovation and Excellence in the Pandemic 28 June-29 July 2021 Bournemouth University: UK. Poole, UK: Bournemouth University.
Internet Publications
- Jones, K., Thurston, J. and Oliver, L., 2019. Interview: Kip Jones talks about Biography, Auto-biography, and Creativity. Sage Publications MethodSpace. Available from: https://www.methodspace.com/interview-kip-jones-talks-about-biography-auto-biography-and-creativity/.
- Cooper, K., Oliver, L., Podee, M. and Thurston, J., 2018. The Personal Stories of a Methodology Study Group: An independent learning and support mechanism for postgrads. Method Space. Available from: https://www.methodspace.com/the-personal-stories-of-a-methodology-study-group/.
Theses
- Thurston, J., 2018. ‘My Bones Won’t Break Me.’ A reflective topical autobiography exploring the experience of living with premenopausal osteoporosis. PhD Thesis. Bournemouth University, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.
Posters
- Thurston, J. and Polkinghorne, M., 2022. Understanding Research Methods: a Portal for Students. In: FLIE Fusion Learning Colloquium 2022.
PhD Students
- Cian Dunne, 2021. Isometric Hip Strength in Elite Football Players: Comparison to a Normal Population and it’s behaviour throughout a Football Season, (Completed)
- Jo Taylor - MPhil student. What are the barriers that prevent family and friends involvement in end of life care in an acute hospital setting? Student Nurses perspectives.
Profile of Teaching UG
- Foundations of Sports Therapy
- Assessment of Sports Injuries 1
- Early Career Professionalism
- Exercise Prescription in Sports Therapy
- Soft Tissue and Therapeutic Modalities
- Assessment of Sports Injuries 1
- Rehabilitation in Sports Therapy
- Research Methodologies 1
- Research Methodologies 2
- Research Project
- MSc Nutrition and Behaviour - Research Project
Grants
- Isometric hip strength in elite professional football (AFC Bournemouth, 01 Aug 2019). Awarded
Internal Responsibilities
- Mentor, Post Graduate Certificate in Education Practice
- Active Member, Quality Assurance and Enhancement Group
- Co-Lead, Fusion for Students - Students as Researchers Working Group
- Programme Leader BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy, Human Sciences and Public Health
Journal Reviewing/Refereeing
- International Sports Coaching Journal, 03 Feb 2020
Public Engagement & Outreach Activities
- HSS Insight Day (20 Jun 2019)
- Widening Participation Event - BTEC Outdoor Education (17 Jan 2017-17 Jul 2017)
Conference Presentations
- The British Association of Sport and Exercise Science Conference, Examining the relationship between physical activity level and menopausal symptoms, 16 Nov 2021, online
- “Narrating Lives”: International Conference on Storytelling, (Auto)Biography and (Auto)Ethnography, Hall, J., and Thurston, J. Nourishment or Punishment? How I experience eating behaviours and meal times with children with autism spectrum disorder, 28 Aug 2020, Online due to Covid-19
- BSA A/B Group: Past and Present Lives, ‘Auto/biography: A short film: “It’s not research, it’s just stories”: an exploration into the challenges and triumphs of biographic research’, 07 Dec 2018, Friends House, London, UK
- BSA Auto/Biography Summer Conference, “Observing My Future Self”: Understanding the impact of aging family members, on one’s own anticipated progression through the ageing process., 19 Jul 2018, Oxford
- Humanising Care Conference, Proposing a 'Biographical Echoes' approach to understand the ideographic nature of patient experiences and promote humanised health care practices., 21 Jun 2018, Bournemouth, UK
- BSA Christmas Conference - Public and Private Lives, Transitioning Ones Private Experience into the Public Domain, 08 Dec 2017, Friends House, London
- Enhancing Primary Care through Research and Innovation, Improving Primary Care Provision through Understanding the Experiences of ‘Strangers’ within Diagnostic Groups., 22 Nov 2017, Executive Business Centre, Bournemouth University
- Humanising Care, Health and Wellbeing Conference, 'My Bones Won't Break Me:' My Experience of Living with Osteoporosis as a young active female., 29 Jun 2017, Bournemouth University
Consultancy Activities
- AFCB Fitness Testing - Data Collection, Consultancy. AFC Bournemouth
- Fitness Testing Analysis - AFC Bournemouth, Report writing for Fitness Testing Data for AFCB fitness data. AFC Bournemouth
Qualifications
- PhD in Medical Sociology (Bournemouth University, 2018)
- Level 1 in Accredited Anthropometrist in Kinanthropometry (International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry, 2012)
- MSc in Sport Science & Medicine (Roehampton University, 2006)
- BSc (Hons) in Sport Rehabilitation with Health and Human Biology (St Mary's University College, 2001)
Honours
- BU Learning and Teaching Fellowship (2014)
Memberships
- British Association of Sport and Exercise Science, Member (2017-),
- Higher Education Academy, Fellow (2014-),