Dr Rob Mann joined Podium’s Research and Innovation Team towards the end of 2023. Rob is a researcher with a strong track-record of using mixed-methods and co-creation approaches – aimed at producing meaningful evidence to support, protect, and promote the health and wellbeing of youth athletes.

Rob joined Podium from the Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre at the University of Exeter where his research was largely situated within the context of youth Athletics (Track and Field). His PhD investigated training load, health problems, and psychosocial response to injury in competitive adolescent distance runners. His PhD was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), completed in partnership with England Athletics, and awarded The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Prof. Tom Reilly Doctoral Dissertation of the Year Award. Following completion of his PhD, Rob undertook a series of postdoctoral positions, including being awarded an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship.

In addition to his PhD, Rob has a Bachelor of Art degree in Sport and Social Sciences (University of Bath) and a Master of Research degree in Health and Wellbeing (University of Exeter). Through his studies and postdoctoral research experiences, Rob has developed expertise in: (1) qualitative inquiry; (2) injury/illness surveillance; and (3) developing, implementing, and evaluating complex interventions.

Outside of work, Rob is a general sports enthusiast, endurance athlete, and cat-dad.