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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.

Nadina is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Leisure Research. She also sits on the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Ethics Panel, at Bournemouth University. Nadina is serving as a scientific co-chair for the 2023 Leisure Studies Association (LSA) conference taking place July 11 - 13, 2023 at Bournemouth University (https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/sport-physical-activity-centre-sparc/leisure-studies-association-annual-conference-2023).

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 (including the national tennis development centre program)...

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Research

Nadina is an emerging thought leader in online leisure spaces. Her primary research focuses on online communities and interpersonal and group dynamics. She has also done research on community sport volunteers, regulations and effects of electronic gaming machine near misses and losses disguised as wins, community well-being, coach-athlete relationship, and farm tourists among others.

Nadina welcomes prospective Ph.D. applicants interested in research on digital leisure, online communities, and interpersonal dynamics.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:

Good health and well-being

"Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages"

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Reduced inequalities

"Reduce inequality within and among countries"

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Sustainable cities and communities

"Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable"

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Peace, justice and strong institutions

"Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels"

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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.
  • 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.
  • Ayer, N., 2015. Interpersonal dynamics in sport. Illuminare: A Student Journal in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Research, 13 (1).

Chapters

  • Ayer, N. and Cooper, J.R., 2021. Exploring retention and rewards in community sport volunteering. The Routledge Handbook of Volunteering in Events, Sport and Tourism. Taylor & Francis Group.
  • 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.
  • Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2019. Exploring an online tennis community. Routledge Handbook of Tennis: History, Culture and Politics. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

Conferences

  • Ayer, N., 2023. Online tennis forum member dynamics in the face of disruption. In: Canadian Congress on Leisure Research (CCLR) 17, A Half Century of Canadian Leisure Research: Towards a More Inclusive Future 23-26 May 2023 University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
  • Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2018. Exploring the power dynamics in an online sports fan community. In: XIX International Sociological Association (ISA) World Congress of Sociology: Power, Violence and Justice – Reflections, Responses, and Responsibilities. 15-21 July 2018 Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  • Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2017. Online tennis forum: An arena for a coach-athlete relationship? In: 2017 North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) Conference, Sport Matters: Physics, Politics, Performances, Pedagogies 1-4 November 2017 Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
  • 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.
  • Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2016. Online communities: The case of tennis enthusiasts. In: 3rd ISA Forum of Sociology: The Futures we want: Global Sociology and Struggles for a Better World. 10-14 July 2016 University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Reports

Theses

  • Ayer, N., 2018. Online leisure communities: The case of tennis enthusiasts. PhD Thesis. University of Waterloo, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.

Posters

  • Ayer, N., 2022. Robin's Story - from Dropping Out of School to a Career in Tennis. In: The Thirteenth International Conference on Sport & Society. Aarhus University, Denmark.
  • Ayer, N., 2018. Exploring the importance of coach-player relationship in inclusive tennis programming. In: Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society, Miami, USA.
  • Ayer, N., 2017. Tennis coaching, athlete development and organizational effectiveness in Canada. In: Eighth International Conference on Sport and Society, London, UK.
  • Ayer, N. and McCarville, R., 2017. Word of mouth dynamics in an online sport community. In: 15th Canadian Congress on Leisure Research (CCLR): Engaging Legacies, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Others

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

Profile of Teaching UG

  • Principles of Sport Management
  • Managing Sport for Development

External Responsibilities

Internal Responsibilities

Journal Reviewing/Refereeing

  • Journal of Leisure Research, 13 Jan 2022
  • Sport Management Review, 08 Oct 2020
  • Event Management: an international journal, 03 Aug 2020
  • Illuminare: A Student Journal in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Studies (Topic Editor), 01 Jan 2016

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

  • Wheelchair Tennis Try It Session (24 Aug 2019)

Conference Presentations

  • Canadian Congress on Leisure Research (CCLR) 17, Online tennis forum member dynamics in the face of disruption, 23 May 2023, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • The Thirteenth International Conference on Sport & Society, Robin's Story - from Dropping Out of School to a Career in Tennis, 30 Jun 2022, Aarhus University, Denmark
  • 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, Honolulu, 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)
  • Supervisory Development Training for New PhD Supervisors (Doctoral College, Bournemouth University)

Qualifications

  • PhD in Recreation and Leisure Studies (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2018)

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)
  • Fellow (FHEA) (Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom)
  • 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

  • Leisure Studies Association, Member (2023-),
  • Higher Education Academy, Fellow (2022-),
  • Journal of Leisure Research, Associate Editor (2022-),
  • KW Sport Council, Webmaster (current), Former Board of Directors (2018-),
  • Canadian Association for Leisure Studies, Member (2017-),
  • The Academy of Leisure Sciences, Member (2017-),
  • Tourism Research Information Network, Member (2017-),