Professor Mike Hartill
Centre Director
Faculty of Arts & Sciences:
Social Sciences
Mike is a Professor of Sociology of Sport in the Department of Social Sciences and director of CPSS. He has conducted research into child sexual exploitation in sport since joining Edge Hill, working on a number of national and international projects aimed at preventing abuse of children in sport.
Dr Melanie Lang
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @DrMelLang
Centre Director
Faculty of Arts & Sciences:
Social Sciences
Melanie is Reader in Child Protection and Children’s Rights in Sport in the Department of Social Sciences and director of CPSS. Her work is focused on child emotional/psychological, physical and sexual abuse in sport, safeguarding/child protection policy and practice, gender-based violence, and children’s participation rights in sport.
Nick Ashley
Loughborough College of Further & Higher Education
Nick is a part-time PhD Candidate at Edge Hill University and a Lecturer in the Sociology of Sport at Loughborough College. Nick’s research, which is supervised by Dr Mike Hartill and Dr Melanie Lang, aims to map the field of safeguarding in sport.
Leon Fraser
Faculty of Education
One of Leon’s roles at Edge Hill University is the safeguarding lead for the Faculty of Education, supporting and guiding academic colleagues, students and external partners associated within Initial Teacher Training (ITT).
Sarah Hunt
Faculty of Arts & Sciences:
Sport & Physical Activity
Sarah is Programme Leader for Physical Education and School Sport in the Department of Sport and Physical Activity. She is undertaking a PhD on safeguarding and adult-child touch practices in PE under the supervision of Dr Beccy Watson, Dr Hayley Fitzgerald (both Leeds Beckett University) and Dr Melanie Lang (EHU).
Dr Jimmy O’Gorman
Faculty of Arts & Sciences:
Sport & Physical Activity
Jimmy O’Gorman is a Senior Lecturer in Sports Development, Management and Coaching in the Department of Sport and Physical Activity where he teaches on the undergraduate Sports Development, Management and Coaching, and the MSc Sport, Physical Activity and Mental Health programmes.
Professor Bettina Rulofs
Associate Member
University of Wuppertal
Bettina is a Professor in the Sociology of Sport in the Department of Human and Social Sciences and associated member of the CPSS.
Rik Southworth
Faculty of Arts and Sciences:
Social Sciences
Rik is a research assistant working on the International Olympic Committee-funded project ‘Athlete- and coach-led education for teaching about abuse and neglect in sport’ within the CPSS. He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Coaching and Development and an MSc in Sports Coaching and works as an elite category 2 professional football academy coach.
Associate Professor Jenny McMahon
Associate Member:
University of Tasmania, Australia
Jenny is Associate Professor in Education in the College of Arts, law and Education at University of Tasmania Australia and an associated member of the CPSS.
Dr Laura Purdy
Associate Member:
Liverpool John Moores University, UK
Laura is a Senior Lecturer in the faculty of Business and Law at Liverpool John Moores university. Her academic work focuses on power and interaction in the coaching process, coaches’ pedagogical actions and identity construction, and coach and athlete welfare.
Paul Rimmer
Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine
Paul is the Programme Leader for the social work element of the Integrated Masters in Nursing and Social Work. Paul currently leads a number of modules across Social Work programmes and has a special interest in Mental Health Social Work.