PhD Student Group
Welcome to the PhD Student Group in Sport, Health and Physical Education
![Some of PhD students with staff and visiting scholars](/content/auckland/en/education/research/research-centres-and-units/the-richard-tinning-research-unit/phd-student-group/_jcr_content/leftpar/imagecomponent/image.img.480.low.jpg/1721960284226.jpg)
Our group comprises PhD students from various backgrounds, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise to the field of sports, health education, and physical education.
Our research areas include, but are not limited to, health education, physical education, sports, indigenous research, sexuality education, critical pedagogy, etc.
We are all aware of the challenges of the doctoral journey. Thus, we are united by a shared wish to foster a supportive and collaborative environment where we can all thrive academically, professionally, and personally. In this sense, we hold regular group seminars. Through our seminars, we not only share our research and get feedback, but also delve into research methodologies, explore current trends, and critically discuss new knowledge.
Additionally, our group values the importance of balance and well-being. Engaging in team sports like flag football, beach volleyball, and frisbee, etc., helps us build camaraderie, relieve stress, and have fun, which is essential for
sustaining the demanding pace of doctoral studies.
These activities also provide a platform for informal networking and idea-sharing in a relaxed and supportive environment. By working together and supporting each other, we aim to create a nurturing and dynamic academic community that empowers each member to achieve their full potential.
We look forward to embarking on this journey together, facing challenges, celebrating successes, embracing failure, and making lasting impacts in the fields of sport, health education, and physical education.
PhD students in the Richard Tinning Research Unit
Name | Areas of Expertise | Supervisors |
---|---|---|
Vibha Tirumalai | New Zealand Indian communities and sexuality education | Professor Katie Fitzpatrick and Professor Louisa Allen |
Jinzhi Han | Health and physical education teacher professional learning | AP Alan Ovens and Dr Rod Philpot |
Jamie Penno | Mental health education; young people | Professor Katie Fitzpatrick and AP Sarah Hetrick |
Chenyu Ni | Sports media and communication; digital ethnography | Professor Toni Bruce and Dr Margaret Henley |
Jiayuan Deng | Health and physical education;curriculum policy; critical pedagogy | Professor Katie Fitzpatrick and AP Darren Powell |
Ke Shi | Sports media; sociology | Professor Toni Bruce and Dr Margaret Henley |
Lauren Black | Sexuality education; health education | Professor Katie Fitzpatrick and Dr Hayley McGlashan Fainu |
Steven Roberts |
Student-athlete experiences in high performance programmes in New Zealand and the USA | Dr Rod Philpot and Dr Blake Bennet |
Yi Sun | Policy and practice: health, sports and physical education | AP Darren Powell and Dr Blake Bennet |
Yangyang Li | Social and emotional learning: phenomenological method | Professor Katie Fitzpatrick and AP Darren Powell |
Hank Luo | Coaching and techology | Dr Blake Bennet and AP Alan Ovens |
Luke Bird |
Sportswashing and media framing | Professor Toni Bruce, Dr Margaret Henley and Professor Jennifer Curtin |
Bevan Morgan | Televised mediation of New Zealand professional wrestling, 1975-2022 | Professor Toni Bruce, Dr Margaret Henley and AP Jennifer Frost |
Ziang Li |
Physical activity, physical education | Professor Melody Smith, Dr Hayley McGlashan Fainu and Dr Justin RIchards |
Zhuohong Zhuang | Teaching for equity, inclusion and diverse in Chinese physical education | Dr Rod Philpot and AP Alan Ovens |