Sara Horne

"I am a very organised, detail-orientated individual who has learnt to be a good problem-solver. I am also very analytical and enjoy working in a team but am also capable of working effectively on my own. Thus I think the personality types match my qualities very well, which also match the requirements of my job role as a researcher and laboratory manager very well. My personality types included Coordinator, Quality Controller and Influencer which identified all of qualities I have in addition to other qualities including being thorough and reliable, diplomatic, good at explaining, good at finding and reviewing information, thinking outside the box, good at managing risk and good at communicating. "

"I have quite a diverse role which includes managing the Biomechanics Laboratory and conducting research within Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences at Brunel University. The laboratory role includes ensuring all the Biomechanics Laboratory equipment is in full working order for all teaching and research activities and ensuring Health and Safety practices are adhered to in the laboratory. Thus, I must have a good understanding of the biomechanics equipment and be able to problem solve when issues arise. This may also involve communicating effectively with technical experts (equipment and IT specialists) where necessary. I must also be fully up-to-date with Health and Safety requirements and ensure they are practised in the lab at all times. The outcome of this work is that a fully-working and safe laboratory environment is available for all teaching and research activities.My Research Fellow role involves working on research projects and working on my own PhD work. To conduct this work a range of activities take place including reading research papers, planning and running studies, analysing data, writing reports, research articles and my thesis and presenting the work to relevant audiences. The outcomes of this research work are typically research papers which are published in Journals and presentations at conferences. My PhD research will also involve publishing articles and presentations but will also involve the production of a thesis which will then be examined by experts in a Viva (oral exam). The outcome of this will hopefully be a PhD qualification. To work as a laboratory technician the starting salary is £17,046.To work as a Research Fellow the starting salary is £30,046."

"On completion of my Undergraduate degree my dissertation supervisor suggested I take on the role of part-time Laboratory Manager in combination with a part-time MSc. I accepted the role and completed my MSc 2 years later. Shortly after completing my MSc the Laboratory Manager role was upgraded to a full-time role and I worked in this role for a number of years. In these years I was involved with a wide range of research projects which resulted in my role being changed to my present role as Research Fellow and Laboratory Manager. I subsequently enrolled for a PhD which is currently in progress. Thus I have remained at the same academic institution where I obtained my degrees and subsequently worked at Brunel University for over 25 years. However, my job and the roles within it have evolved considerably during this time which has maintained my motivation and interest in the job.In addition to my Laboratory Manager role I have also been involved with consultancy work with sports teams and individual athletes. I have worked as a performance analyst with Superleague Netball teams, Scotland Netball squads and individual racket sports athletes. The performance analyst role involves filming matches and using specialised software to identify strengths and weaknesses and areas of improvement for coaches to implement in training.My inspiration has always been a love of sport and passion to help athletes improve their performance and minimise injuries."

"I love going to the gym in my spare time, improving my health and fitness. I enjoy challenging my body to improve and minimising stress through physical activity. I was a Netball player representing my county and region. I am also a qualified Level 2 Netball coach and C award umpire."

"I have to manage my time effectively between my full-time role as Laboratory Manager and in completing the other research projects I am involved in, with continuing to progress my PhD work. Thus most days I will be in my office at Brunel University working on my computer. The typical work involves sending and replying to emails, writing documents for my PhD, planning my research, analysing data. At any time if there is a problem with the Laboratory equipment or students wish to book use of the equipment then I may need to immediately deal with these. So although I can have typical days at the computer they can also vary considerably when issues or other needs related to the laboratory arise. When they do I will spend the relevant amount of time in the laboratory to resolve the issues. My part-time PhD examining injuries in Netball will take up to 6 years to complete. I am currently nearing 2 years so have four years left. I hope to identify key factors which lead to injuries in the sport which can then be used to develop strategies to reduce the injuries."

"I eventually gained 3 A Levels in Biology, History and English Literature after re-taking both Biology and English Literature. This gave me the necessary qualifications to attend West London Institute of Higher Education to conduct an undergraduate degree and gain a BA (Hons) in Sports Studies with History.After gaining my undergraduate degree I enrolled for a MSc in Sport Sciences at the same Institution. Following completion of the MSc I have spent many years working in academia at Brunel University. As I am involved with teaching in my areas of expertise I subsequently completed the Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Despite a slightly shaky start in my academic qualifications I am now working towards my PhD qualification. Setbacks can happen but don't give up."