Sheffield Hallam University academic Dr Chris Kirk has been awarded a prestigious fellowship for his passion and commitment to sport and exercise sciences.

Chris, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise physiology, was awarded the Fellowship by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES). He is one of five professional members who have been awarded CASES Fellowship this year.

Chris began teaching and lecturing in 2006, firstly further education colleges and then at the University of Derby before joining Sheffield Hallam University in 2020. He teaches across a range of sport courses at the university including leading the Masters in Applied Sport and Exercise Science, and is Exercise Physiology Lab Director.

He is also an active researcher with a focus on the performance and health of combat sports athletes, with MMA being his main area of interest.

He has also provided strength and conditioning coaching and physiological interventions for a wide range of sports including rugby, American football, taekwondo, MMA, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, para-swimming, athletics and Olympic weightlifting. Chris said:

“I’m honoured and humbled to have been awarded a CASES Fellowship. I have spent the last 20 years dedicating my working life to education, research and practice in sport and exercise science and it’s wonderful for that to be recognised by our field’s professional association."

“My focus has always been to be a ‘pracademic’ so I can help athletes to improve in their sports, whilst also passing on my experiences to our students so they can become the next generation of sport and exercise scientists.”

CASES Fellowship is awarded to academics and practitioners who have demonstrated esteemed professional achievement, skills and service to the field of sport and exercise sciences encourages continued service to CASES in leadership and ambassadorial roles.

The new CASES Fellows will be formally acknowledged at the 2025 CASES Annual General Meeting which takes place in November.