Martin Fitzsimons
Athlete & Coach Services Manager
Western Australian Institute of Sport
BPE (Honours) 1990; MEd (Human Movement) 1994

I entered UWA as a mature age student with a love of sport and a desire to be involved in sport, although without a clear direction as to where. At the end of my undergraduate years research was more appealing than teaching.

After graduating I was fortunate to start at WAIS while I was completing my Masters research. This eventually led to a full time position as an exercise physiologist.

My primary responsibility is to manage the scientists in the department who deliver scientific services to athletes and coaches at the Institute. Working with staff across the various disciplines of physiology, biomechanics, psychology, etc is quite challenging, but very interesting. My role as an exercise physiologist has decreased as the management responsibilities have increased.

My favourite courses at UWA were Exercise Physiology and Anatomy. I have always been fascinated in learning how the body works, particular with reference to sporting performance.

University study provided me with a grounding in scientific knowledge that provided a starting point for solving the real issues that arise with elite athletes. Skills in questioning and seeking new knowledge, along with the perseverance learnt in a research setting, have helped me in arriving at solutions.

For more information about careers in science, visit http://www.science.uwa.edu.au/about/careers.