Dr Richard Bracken presenting Stephanie with her Undergraduate Prize certificate in the Swansea University Sports Science Physiology Laboratory
Third year student Stephanie Jane Hanley, studying for her BSc (hons) in Sports Science, has been awarded the Physiological Society Undergraduate Prize at Swansea University for the Best Dissertation in Exercise Physiology.
In addition, Stephanie has been independently nominated for the Physiological Society Rob Clarke Undergraduate award, for which she will have to explain a poster of her work at this year’s Annual Meeting in London in July.
Speaking about the prize Stephanie said: ‘‘It is a great honour to receive such a prestigious award. I am delighted that after a year of intense studying, the hard work is now paying off.”
Stephanie’s Supervisor, Associate Professor, Dr Richard Bracken who is the Physiological Society’s Institution lead said: “Students studying sports science typically have their sights set on working with elite athletes and teams. Stephanie had the foresight to apply her science skills to the needs of clinical populations (people with type 1 diabetes) looking to engage in exercise and control their blood sugars. For that alone she must be commended. However, the work she produced is exceptional and offers a real understanding of patients’ condition alongside a potential solution to overcome barriers to exercise in diabetes”.
The Undergraduate Prize for Physiology is given for either the best BSc Honours physiology research project, or an outstanding BSC Student who has performed consistently well throughout their physiology degree course, with one award made out per university. The title of Stephanie’s work is ‘An algorithm that delivers and individualised dose of rapid-acting insulin after morning resistance exercise counters post-exercise hyperglycaemia in type 1 diabetes’.
Successful students are awarded a prize of £100, receive a certificate of achievement and are eligible for one year’s free membership to The Society. Benefits of Membership include, grants for travel, attendance at scientific meetings and outreach projects, free online access to The Society journals, and the American Physiological Society’s journal Physiology. Discounted fees at Society events, including the annual main meeting which is one of the biggest international meetings in physiology, a host of networking opportunities, and access to training.
