Graduate Students

Matthew Brearley

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Business degree and a Bachelor of Human Movement Science with first class honours from Southern Cross University. The title of his honours thesis was "A preliminary investigation into the restriction fragment length polymorphisms in the mitochondrial DNA control region of Australian endurance cyclists". Matthew commenced his PhD at Charles Darwin University in July 2001 with an Australian Postgraduate Award – Industry. The award was part of an Australian Research Council grant "Acute responses to intermittent, high intensity activity in a tropical environment" won by his supervisors Finn, J.P., Marsden, J.F. and Wood, R.J. The industry partner is the Northern Territory Institute of Sport, where Matthew is based as part of the National Heat Training and Acclimatisation Centre. His PhD thesis is titled "Intermittent high-intensity activity in a tropical environment and the development of pre-cooling strategies".

In 2006 Matt gained full-time employment at the NTIS as the Sport Science and Research Coordinator and won the Northern Territory’s New Generation Research and Innovation Award for his work on thermal strain in athletes in the tropics.

Vanessa Paun

Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Health Science) with first class honours from the University of Western Australia. The title of her honours thesis was "Thermoregulatory responses to intermittent and continuous exercise in a hot environment". Vanessa commenced her PhD at Charles Darwin University in March 2004 with an Australian Postgraduate Award – Industry. The award was part of an Australian Research Council grant "Strategies to reduce risk of heat induced illness during intermittent, high intensity activity in a tropical environment" won by her supervisors, Finn. J.P., Van der Ploeg, G.E., and Modra, A.C. The industry partner is the Northern Territory Institute of Sport, where Vanessa is based as part of the National Heat Training and Acclimatisation Centre. Her PhD thesis is titled "Thermoregulatory and physiological responses to varying initial hydration levels during intermittent exercise in a tropical environment".

In 2006 Vanessa moved to Canberra to take up a position as the Australian Capital Territory Academy of Sport’s (ACTAS) Talent Search Coordinator/Sport Scientist.