{"id":10560,"date":"2023-05-12T06:00:13","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T05:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/?p=10560"},"modified":"2023-05-10T10:43:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T09:43:00","slug":"career-reflections-of-a-professor-of-physical-activity-for-health-with-nanette-mutrie-mbe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/2023\/05\/12\/career-reflections-of-a-professor-of-physical-activity-for-health-with-nanette-mutrie-mbe\/","title":{"rendered":"Career reflections from physical activity\u2019s Scottish guru: 50 years of helping people to move more"},"content":{"rendered":"

BJSM Blog editors recently had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Nanette Mutrie MBE about her outstanding career in physical activity for health. We hope you enjoy reading what she had to say!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Name:\u00a0<\/b>Nanette Mutrie<\/span><\/p>\n

Current role\/position: <\/b>Professor Emerita University of Edinburgh and Coaching and Education Officer Pickleball Scotland\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Could you give us a career path\/journey overview?<\/b><\/h5>\n

\"\"I\u2019ve had a 50 year career! Half a century helping people become more active. First as a PE teacher in Scotland, then a spell in sport management at University of Glasgow. During that time I decided to pursue further academic qualifications and after doing an M.Ed degree at Glasgow I was fortunate enough to gain a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a PhD with Professor Dorothy Harris at the Pennsylvania State University.\u00a0 That degree allowed me to major in Sport and Exercise Psychology and I eventually became a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences accredited Psychologist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On my return to Glasgow University after the PhD [my position was held open which I think would not happen anywhere today], I helped develop one of the first Sports Science degrees in the UK and my academic career began. After a sabbatical at the Medical Research Council\u2019s\u00a0 Social and Public Health Sciences unit, where I really began to understand physical activity as a public health topic, I was promoted to Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health Science in the year 2000.\u00a0 From that point forward I was involved in Scottish policy in relation to physical activity. Let’s make Scotland more active was a strategy that was released in 2003 and laid the foundations for Scotland\u2019s approach to increasing population levels of activity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I am still involved in Scottish policy and chair the Active Scotland division of the government development group. I moved to the University of Strathclyde in 2004 and enjoyed many years there developing new degree programmes in Sport and Physical Activity and establishing the physical activity for health research agenda in Scotland. My final career move was to the University of Edinburgh in 2012 where I was appointed to lead the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre to which I am still proudly attached as Professor Emerita now that I have retired.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"What are your personal interests\/passions?<\/b><\/h5>\n

Currently I am loving being involved with the new [at least to Scotland] sport of Pickleball. As Coaching and Education Officer for Pickleball Scotland I have been developing coaching qualifications and delivering coaching workshops \u2013 a great challenge that brings together my academic knowledge and my practical teaching\/coaching experience. I also love walking my dogs and playing golf \u2013 both very appropriate activities since I have frequently said \u2018walking is the best buy in public health\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

What was the best decision you ever made in your career?<\/b><\/h5>\n

That is a tough question! I have a lot to reflect back on to wonder about\u2026 but I think it was the early decision to move to a sport management position at the University of Glasgow rather than remain a PE teacher in a school. At the University my focus was how to help students and staff gain enjoyment from activity – that required a new approach in a unit that had previously been primarily about sport performance. But also at the University I had the chance to gain academic qualifications.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

What was the biggest risk you ever took? How do you feel about it now?<\/b><\/h5>\n

That is slightly easier \u2013 it was a risk to go to the USA to study for a PhD. At the time there was no UK University where the topic of Sport or Sports Science or Physical Activity for Health could be studied at doctoral level. The risks were many \u2013 did I have the ability? Would I like the USA? What would my career be on return to the UK? Now I feel that experience was the making of me as a person and as an academic who was fortunate enough to contribute to the development of sport and exercise science in the UK as a result.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

What 3 things are you most thankful for in your career?<\/b><\/h5>\n