We are delighted and honoured to welcome back three recent graduates to present their doctoral inaugural lecture at this year’s Festival of Postgraduate Research: Dr Jonathan Dale (SET), Dr Louisa Buck (SoA) and Dr Will Abbott (SaSM).

We hope to publish our programme for the afternoon shortly but we anticipate the inaugurals starting around 4pm. To join us for all or part of the festival, get your free ticket on Eventbrite.

Dr Jonathan Dale
Doctoral student 2014-18
School of Environment and Technology
Supervisors: Dr Heidi Burgess, Prof David Nash, Prof Callum Firth and Prof Andy Cundy

The evolution of the sediment regime in coastal saltmarsh restoration schemes

Abstract
Saltmarsh restoration schemes (such as managed realignment sites) are being constructed to improve coastal flood defence and to compensate for intertidal habitat loss elsewhere. However, there is growing evidence that these sites have lower biodiversity and ecosystem service delivery than anticipated. A failure to recreate the physical functioning of a natural system within these schemes has been proposed as a possible explanation for these differences, which has been related to the influence of the former land use and site design. This talk presents analysis of the evolution of the sediment regime at the Medmerry Managed Realignment Site, West Sussex, United Kingdom. The scheme involved the construction of 7 km of new defences, up to 3 km inland, making it the largest open coast managed realignment site in Europe (at the time of site inundation). Findings are discussed in terms of compensating for habitat loss and the provision of coastal flood defence, considering the implications of future climate change and the need to sustainably defend against sea level rise, whilst compensating for habitat loss and degradation.

Biography
Dr Jonathan Dale was awarded his PhD, titled The evolution of the sediment regime in a large open coast managed realignment site: a case study of the Medmerry Managed Realignment Site, West Sussex, UK, in May 2018 from the School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton. Following the submission of his PhD in September 2017, Jonathan worked on a number of research projects, and as a Lecturer, within the School until January 2019, when he moved to Coventry University to take up a lecturing role in the School of Energy, Construction and Environment. Jonathan is a Physical Geographer, and his current research focuses on coastal and estuarine morphodynamics, restoration and management. More specifically, Jonathan is investigating cohesive sediment dynamics and contaminate release in saltmarshes, mudflats and estuaries in response to human activity and natural forcing mechanisms.

Dr Louisa Buck
Doctoral student 2011-18
School of Art
Supervisors: Mr Frank Gray and Prof George Hardie

Greek Mythology and the British political cartoon: a classical reception approach to the case study of Sisyphus

Abstract
Dr Louisa Buck’s PhD research project critically considered the role of Greek mythology within the contemporary British political cartoon. Together, Greek myth and British political cartoons examine the world and comment on contemporary times. As myth carries with it its own narratives from the time of its conception and its different receptions, this appropriation in the political cartoon functioned as a visual metaphor for particular narratives and meanings. The thesis explored the various perspectives and histories relevant to this subject. In particular it examined sixty British political cartoons that featured the myth of Sisyphus from 1844 – 2017. The practice element of the research served two purposes: An Illustrated Journal displayed the classical reception of the Sisyphus case study within the framework of an imagined personal journal, highlighting the theories of Classical Reception borne out of Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis. Its purpose was to serve as a device to both organise and peel back complex layers in order to reveal core concepts, stories and the central trauma.The Annotated Journal was originally conceived solely as a reference guide to the Illustrated Journal, but it became more than that as it served to act both as a tool to reveal the sources of the Sisyphus myth and the shifting perspectives associated with its interpretation. It also worked to position it within western history, a variety of media and contemporary life.

Biography
Louisa teaches on the MA Fine Art course at the University of Brighton and recently was Acting Course Leader on this course. She was awarded her PhD entitled: Greek Mythology and the British political cartoon: A classical Reception approach to the case study of Sisyphus in 2018. She is a founding member of the British Consortium of Comic Scholars (BCCS) and an active member of the Drawing Research Enterprise Group (DREG) at the University of Brighton. Her research concentrates on the use of Greek mythological adaptation in contemporary times. Most recently she is looking at the use of Greek mythological punishment narratives in the rhetoric of mental health theory.

Dr Will Abbott
Doctoral student 2014-19
School of Sport and Service Management
Supervisors: Dr Gary Brickley and Dr Nicholas Smeeton

Monitoring and prescription of GPS training load in elite academy soccer athletes

Abstract
Due to the competitive nature of soccer, organisations are constantly searching for tools to gain a competitive advantage. A process that has recently gained momentum in sport science is the use of technology to monitor training load. Global positioning system (GPS) technology provide information on total distance, speed, and acceleration, which can be utilised to quantify external workload completed by athletes. However, the current application of global positioning system technology provides limited consideration of the individual or population. Will’s thesis investigated an individualised approach to monitoring and prescription of training load in elite academy soccer.

Initial investigations within Will’s thesis focused upon individualising the training load monitoring process. Whilst monitoring individual athletes, it is important to account for physical capacities, and differences in physical demands elicited by competition. Results from the current thesis demonstrate holistic demands placed upon individual playing positions vary significantly. Later investigations within Will’s thesis progressed the focus to the individual prescription of training load for soccer athletes. Considering the significant variations in individual’s physical capacities, and the physical demands placed upon playing positions, it is vital the prescription of training acknowledges the specific requirements of athletes. Will’s findings have significant implications for applied practitioners aiming to improve the accuracy of the training monitoring process, and the specificity of training and competition prescription.

Biography
Will Abbott is currently the Head of Academy Strength and Conditioning at Brighton and Hove Albion FC, a club he has spent the past seven seasons with. Will leads a team of practitioners responsible for the sport science provisions, and athletic development services provided to athletes aged 8-23 years. Prior to his time at Brighton, Will spent two years at Southampton FC whilst completing BSc Sport and Exercise Science, and MSc Sports Performance degrees.

Whilst holding BASES Sport and Exercise Scientist, and UKSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach accreditations, Will has recently completed his PhD thesis. The thesis is titled ‘monitoring and prescription of GPS training load in elite academy football athletes’, with data collected in conjunction with his applied role at Brighton and Hove Albion FC. Additional to Will’s work in training load, he has authored and co-authored research investigating training and match demands, athlete well-being, recovery modalities, and performance asymmetries.