Meet sport and exercise science technical instructor Bill

As a Brighton sport and exercise science student, you’ll be supported not just by a team of expert academic staff but a team of expert technicians too!

Our technical team are on hand to assist with the practical aspects of teaching, experiments, and research. They set up, maintain and calibrate the specialist equipment and ensure our sport and exercise science laboratories are safe and efficient.

We caught up with technical instructor Bill Norton to learn more about his role and why he loves his job.

How long have you been part of the technical team?

“I have been part of the technical team at the University of Brighton since February 2016 – so early next year will be my tenth!

“I started as a lab technician, before moving into a technical instructor role.”

What’s your sport science background?

“I studied the BSc in Sport and Exercise Science at Brighton and graduated in 2015.

“After graduating I enrolled on the Applied Sport Physiology MSc Brighton, studying whilst working full-time as a lab technician. I achieved my MSc in 2018.”

What’s the best thing about your job?

“What I love most about my role as a technical member of staff is working with our students, staff, researchers, external clients, and the local community to create positive impact and drive long-lasting change.

“Every day with the students is great fun with new ideas and experiences. Being able to help them grow and develop as sport scientists, but perhaps more importantly as individuals and help them realise their potential.

“This is what brings me to work every day – creating an environment and culture in the university’s sport and exercise science labs where everyone can feel safe and comfortable to express themselves and develop both the soft and hard skills as a practitioner, wherever they choose to pursue their career after university.”

You are a CASES Supervised Sport and Exercise Scientist – what does this mean?  

“I am on the CASES (Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences) Supervised Experience pathway, working towards my CASES accreditation as a sport and exercise scientist.

“I aim to complete and achieve my accreditation in the next three to six months and will be the first member of the Sport & Exercise Science technical team to have achieved this at Brighton.

“The additional knowledge I am gaining on the programme will be hugely beneficial to the students I work with daily.”

You are also visibility lead for CASES Technical Special Interest Group?

“The CASES Technical Special Interest Group (TSIG) was created last year with an aim to empower and support technical staff. When an initial email was sent out looking for members, I contacted them about getting involved.

“In a meeting with other technical staff from across the UK, a group of us decided on who would take on specific roles in line with the Technician Commitment pillars (Visibility, Recognition, Sustainability and Career Development. I volunteered to be the visibility lead along with Hannah Divall from Nottingham Trent University.

“TSIG officially launched earlier this month with an event held at Nottingham Trent University that was attended by technical staff from all over the country. I was honoured to be asked to write a feature about the launch for the CASES website.

“A career as a technician is one that I have found to be rewarding, not without its challenges, but more importantly a role that has given me the opportunity to develop across multiple disciplines with a range of transferrable skills and experiences that I’m continuing to build on to this day.”

Take a tour of our CASES accredited sport science labs with Bill in our short film:

Learn more about studying sport and exercise at the University of Brighton.