Dr Nadina Ayer

Biography

Biography

Nadina Ayer holds a Ph.D. in Recreation and Leisure Studies from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. She was awarded an MA in Recreation and Leisure Studies and a BA (Hons.) with a double major in Recreation and Business and Therapeutic Recreation and a German minor from the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on online communities, interpersonal and group dynamics, participation and leadership in sport, and management of sport and recreation. Nadina is a former varsity tennis player (bronze medallist and MVP) and a certified tennis coach (including wheelchair and cardio tennis) with extensive coaching experience from grassroots to high performance. She is the co-founder of the Imamovic-Ayer Tennis Academy.

Nadina is a long-time community sport volunteer, who has worked with Tennis Canada (Community Champion), Ontario Tennis Association (Kids Cardio Tennis Regional Representative), and Kitchener-Waterloo Sports Council (Board of Directors, Member, Webmaster- current role)... Nadina holds a Fundamentals of University Teaching Certificate from the University of Waterloo and has over ten years of higher education teaching and course development experience. She emphasizes critical and global thinking with a commitment to the provision of ethical, socially responsible, sustainable, and inclusive sport and recreation. Her students can expect to be challenged to perform at the highest standards in their work and conduct.

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Journal Articles

Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2021. Creating and consuming content: exploring member engagement and role acceptance within an online tennis forum. Leisure/ Loisir, 45 (4), 525-550.
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Barton, K.R., Yazdani, A., Ayer, N., Kalvapalle, S., Brown, S., Stapleton, J., Brown, D.G. and Harrigan, K.A., 2017. The effect of losses disguised as wins and near misses in electronic gaming machines: A systematic review. Journal of Gambling Studies.
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Ayer, N., 2015. Interpersonal dynamics in sport. Illuminare: A Student Journal in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Research, 13 (1).
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Chapters

Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2020. Forging connections and community within an online tennis forum. Leisure and its communities: Rethinking mutuality, collective expression and belonging in the new century. Routledge.
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Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2019. Exploring an online tennis community. Routledge Handbook of Tennis: History, Culture and Politics. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
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Conferences

Ayer, N., Jiang, K., McCarville, R. and Mannell, R., 2016. Farm tourists: Exploring reasons for visiting "Ferienhof Faust". In: Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) Canada Chapter 28-30 September 2016 Edmonton, Calgary, Canada.
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Reports

Harrigan, K., Brown, D., Stapleton, J., Barton, K., Yazdani, A., Ayer, N., Brown, S. and Kalvapalle, S., 2016. Evidence Brief: The effect and regulation of electronic gaming machine near misses and losses disguised as wins (LDWs) on the player. Gambling Research Lab, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Gambling Research Exchange Ontario. Available from: https://www.greo.ca/Modules/EvidenceCentre/Details/effect-and-regulation-electronic-gaming-machine-near-misses-and-losses-disguised-wins-ldws.
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Harrigan, K., Brown, D., Stapleton, J., Barton, K., Yazdani, A., Ayer, N., Brown, S. and Kalvapalle, S., 2016. Research briefing note: Summary of the effect and regulation of electronic gaming machine near misses and losses disguised as wins (LDWs) on the player. Gambling Research Lab, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Gambling Research Exchange Ontario. Available from: https://www.greo.ca/Modules/EvidenceCentre/Details/research-briefing-note-summary-effect-and-regulation-electronic-gaming-machine-near-misses.
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Smale, B., 2016. A profile of wellbeing in Ontario: The Central Region. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Index of Wellbeing. Available from: https://uwaterloo.ca/canadian-index-wellbeing/sites/ca.canadian-index-wellbeing/files/uploads/files/ciw-ontariowellbeing-central_region-oct2016.pdf.
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Smale, B., 2016. A profile of wellbeing in Ontario: Toronto. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Index of Wellbeing. Available from: http://docplayer.net/78145683-A-profile-of-wellbeing-in-ontario-toronto-an-agency-of-the-government-of-ontario-un-organisme-du-gouvernement-de-l-ontario.html.
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Theses

Ayer, N., 2018. Online leisure communities: The case of tennis enthusiasts. PhD Thesis. University of Waterloo, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.
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Ayer, N., 2011. Tennis spectator loyalty when life gets in the way. Master's Thesis. University of Waterloo, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.
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Ayer, N., 2005. Assessing the Impact of Skiing on Motives, Self-Esteem and Socialization/Friendship Development among Children with Cerebral Palsy. Undergraduate Dissertation. University of Waterloo, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.
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Posters

Ayer, N., 2018. Exploring the importance of coach-player relationship in inclusive tennis programming. In: Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society.
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Ayer, N., 2017. Tennis coaching, athlete development and organizational effectiveness in Canada. In: Eighth International Conference on Sport and Society.
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Others

Ayer, N., 2015. Safety and Wellbeing [Blog]. Canadian Index of Wellbeing, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Published online.
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Profile of Teaching UG

Profile of Teaching UG

Principles of Sport Management
Managing Sport for Development

External Responsibilities

Congress on Canadian Leisure Research (CCLR), Abstract Reviewer (2021-), https://congress2021.ca/associations/501
Event Management, Invited Reviewer (2020-), https://cognizantcommunication.com/publication/event-management/
Sport Management Review, Invited Reviewer (2020-), https://www.journals.elsevier.com/sport-management-review
Kitchener Waterloo Sports Council, Webmaster, Member, & Former Board of Directors (2018-), http://www.kwsportscouncil.ca/
Imamovic-Ayer Tennis Academy, Co-founder (2007-), http://imamovicayertennis.com/index

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

Wheelchair Tennis, Find Your Passion Sport Experience Event, KidsAbility, Woolwich Memorial Centre, Elmira, Ontario, Canada

Conference Presentations

Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society, Exploring the coach-player relationship in inclusive tennis programming., 19 Jul 2018, North Miami, USA
XIX International Sociological Association (ISA) World Congress of Sociology: Power, Violence and Justice - Reflections, Responses, and Responsibility, Exploring the power dynamics in an online sports fan community., 15 Jul 2018, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, Online tennis forum: An arena for a coach-athlete relationship?, 01 Nov 2017, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Eighth International Conference on Sport and Society, Tennis coaching, athlete development and organizational effectiveness in Canada, 10 Jul 2017, London, UK
15th Canadian Congress on Leisure Research, Word of mouth dynamics in an online sport community, 23 May 2017, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) Canada Chapter Annual Conference, Farm tourists: Exploring reasons for visiting “Ferienhof Faust”, 28 Sep 2016, Edmonton, Calgary, Canada
Critical Tourism Studies North America Conference, Sleeping in the Hay: An act of resistance against mass tourism?, 01 Aug 2016, Huntsville, Ontario, Canada
3rd ISA Forum of Sociology: The Futures we want: Global Sociology and Struggles for a Better World, Online communities: The case of tennis enthusiasts, 10 Jul 2016, Vienna, Austria
Seventh International Conference on Sport and Society and the Sport and Society Knowledge Community, Coaching experience: The case of Canadian tennis coaches, 02 Jun 2016, Hanolulu, Hawaii, USA
Seventh International Conference on Sport and Society and the Sport and Society Knowledge Community, Canadian women volunteers in community sport clubs, 02 Jun 2016, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Seventh International Conference on Sport and Society and the Sport and Society Knowledge Community, Leisure physical activity, mental health, and life satisfaction among Canadians, 02 Jun 2016, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) Canada Chapter Annual Conference, A systematic literature review of service quality research in tourism, hospitality, and leisure, 23 Sep 2015, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
6th International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) World Conference, Women in community sport leadership roles: A survey of women sport volunteers, 12 Jun 2014, Helsinki, Finland
6th International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) World Conference, How to make it happen: Women with disabilities participating in sport, 12 Jun 2014, Helsinki, Finland

Attended Training

Fundamentals of University Teaching Certificate (University of Waterloo)
Tri-Council Policy Statement Certificate (Government of Canada)
Cardio Tennis Certificate (Ontario Tennis Association)
Teaching Online: Advanced Skills for Graduate Students
Grading Essays
Assessing Student Learning
LEARN (D2L) Instructor user group (University of Waterloo)
Employee safety orientation (supervisor training) (University of Waterloo)
Workplace violence awareness (University of Waterloo)
Transitioning: TA to Instructor
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) (University of Waterloo)
Academic integrity
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
Wheelchair Tennis Certificate (Ontario Tennis Association)
National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP1) Certificate (Coaching Association of Canada)
Tennis Instructor & Tennis Coordinator Certificate (Tennis Canada)

Qualifications

PhD in Recreation and Leisure Studies (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2018)
MA in Recreation and Leisure Studies (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2011)
BA (Hons) in Recreation and Leisure Studies (Double Major: Recreation & Business and Therapeutic Recreation; Minor: German; University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2005)

Honours

AHS Graduate Experience Award ($35,000) (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Athletic Financial Award ($500) (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Bronze Medal (Ontario University Athletics, Ontario, Canada)
Graduate Milestone Scholarship ($1,200) (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Judson Whiteside Leadership Award (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Most Valuable Player (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Ontario University Athletics Academic Achievement Award (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Outstanding Graduating Senior (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Provost Doctorate Award ($5,000) (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Senate Graduate Scholarship ($6,000) (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
The President's Athlete Academic Honour Roll (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Wilfrid L. Blitzer Language Contest University of Waterloo "Top Students in German" Award ($500) (City of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)

Memberships

KW Sport Council, Member (2018-),
Canadian Association for Leisure Studies, Member (2017-),

Website Links

Staff Profile Pages