Dr Owen Spendiff

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Owen Spendiff
About
Teaching and learning
Research
Leadership and management

About

Owen is Head of the Department of Applied and Human Sciences, previously the Field Leader to Sport and Exercise Sciences. Under his tenure for Sport and Exercise, the Sport Degree Courses at Kingston were ranked as high as first in England in the Guardian league tables (2nd in the UK) and the students consistently provided the highest satisfaction rates in the National Student Survey for teaching /learning/assessment & feedback. The Department of Applied and Human Sciences offers a diverse range of courses including Forensic Science, Biological Sciences, Sport and Exercise Science and Nutrition. The Department also have numerous Partner Colleges offering an array of courses such as Animal and Equine Management.  

Owen's research is very much focussed on Sport Nutrition with recent PhD student projects focused on High Flavanol Dark Chocolate and also different algae such as Spirulina and Chlorella analysing their effects on oxygen consumption and performance. Owen is also very active in researching diets for health and exercise with recent PhD projects analysing the effects that Ketogenic diets (High Fat-Low Carbohydrate) have on exercise and performance.  

Academic responsibilities

Head of Department of Applied and Human Sciences & Associate Professor

Qualifications

  • PhD Sport Nutrition
  • MSc Sport and Exercise
  • BSc (Hons) Sport and Leisure
  • Cert Ed Higher and Further Education
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Teaching and learning

Owen's teaching expertise centres on Exercise Physiology, Sport Nutrition and Research Methods and his teaching philosophy is centred on the continued development in strategies to engage students and inspire curiosity within our disciplines.  The goal of any HE provision is for a team to deliver contemporary student centred (inclusive) curricula which is vocationally relevant and research-informed for every session, module and course.  Over the twenty years teaching experience, Owen has been responsible for developing teaching and learning within the teams he has led and addressed aspects such as learner engagements strategies, novel use of VLE, inclusive and applied assessments and vocational centred approaches to teaching.   As a result of his leadership, Owen is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  

Since 2004, Owen has been responsible for the design, vision and validation of degree programmes listed below.

DEGREE VALIDATIONS: 

MSc Sport & Exercise (Performance) (Kingston University, 2017)

MSc Sport and Exercise (Health) (Kingston University, 2017)

FdSc Sport Coaching (Kingston University in collaboration with Nescot, 2016)

BSc (hons) Sport Science (Coaching) (Kingston University, 2016)

BSc (hons) Sport Science with Business (Kingston University, 2012)

BSc (hons) Sport Science (BASES ENDORSED) (Kingston University, 2012)

BSc (hons) Exercise, Nutrition & Health (Kingston University, 2012)

BSc (hons) Sport Analysis & Coaching (Kingston University, 2012)

FdA in Early Years (SECTOR ENDORSED) (UniS, 2008).

BA (hons) Childhood Studies (UniS, 2007). 

FdA in Early Years (Unis,2007). 

FdSc Personal Training and Sport Performance (REPS Accredited) (UniS, 2005 & 2008). 

FdA in Health and Social Care (UniS, 2006) 

FdSc in Holistic Therapies (UniS, 2004/2006/2008), 

BSc (hons) in Sport Science and Management (UniS, 2004 & 2008). 

Undergraduate courses taught

Research

My research interests are very much focussed on diet and supplements for exercise and health.   Recent Phd projects include the effects of Nitrate, High Flavanol Dark Chocolate and also different algae such as Spirulina and Chlorella and analysing their effects on oxygen consumption and performance. I am also leading projects on Ketogenic diets (High Fat-Low Carbohydrate) while supplementing with glucose and how this might benefit exercise and performance.  The whole high fat or low fat diet argument is fascinating to me and I am dedicated to unravelling some of the mysteries and myths related to our dietary understanding of what it is to be a healthy eater.   

Areas of specialism

  • Sport Nutrition
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Exercise Science
  • Sport Performance Analysis
  • Statistics

Research student supervision

Main supervision

Other supervision

Publications

Jump to: Article | Book Section | Conference or Workshop Item
Number of items: 25.

Article

Gurney, Tom, Brouner, James and Spendiff, Owen (2023) The efficacy of chlorella supplementation on multiple indices of cycling performance. Journal of Dietary Supplements, ISSN (print) 1939-0211 (Epub Ahead of Print)

Gurney, Tom and Spendiff, Owen (2022) Algae supplementation for exercise performance : current perspectives and future directions for spirulina and chlorella. Frontiers in Nutrition, ISSN (online) 2296-861X (Epub Ahead of Print)

Gurney, Tom, Brouner, James and Spendiff, Owen (2022) Twenty-one days of spirulina supplementation lowers heart rate during submaximal cycling and augments power output during repeated sprints in trained cyclists. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 47(1), pp. 18-26. ISSN (print) 1715-5312

Howe, Christopher C. F., Swann, Nicola, Spendiff, Owen, Kosciuk, Anna, Pummell, Elizabeth K. L. and Moir, Hannah J. (2021) Performance determinants, running energetics and spatiotemporal gait parameters during a treadmill ultramarathon. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 121, pp. 1759-1771. ISSN (print) 1439-6319

Sagoe, Dominic, Cruyff, Maarten, Spendiff, Owen, Chegeni, Razieh, De Hon, Olivier, Van Der Heijden, Peter, Saugy, Martial and Petróczi, Andrea (2021) Functionality of the Crosswise Model for assessing sensitive or transgressive behavior : a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, p. 655592. ISSN (online) 1664-1078

Gurney, Tom and Spendiff, Owen (2021) Response to the letter to the Editor: Spirulina supplementation improves oxygen uptake in arm cycling exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 121, pp. 1515-1516. ISSN (print) 1439-6319

Gurney, Tom and Spendiff, Owen (2020) Spirulina supplementation improves oxygen uptake in arm cycling exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 120, pp. 2657-2664. ISSN (print) 1439-6319

Patel, Rishikesh K., Brouner, James, Allgrove, Judith E. and Spendiff, Owen (2020) The influence of different concentrations of flavanol chocolate bars under acute supplement conditions on exercise and performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 120, pp. 2075-2082. ISSN (print) 1439-6319

Ronca, Flaminia, Spendiff, Owen and Swann, Nicola (2020) An electromyographic analysis of combining weights and elastic tubes as a method of resistance for exercise. Translational Sports Medicine, 3(2), pp. 164-170. ISSN (online) 2573-8488

Pooley, Sam, Spendiff, Owen, Allen, Matt and Moir, Hannah Jayne (2020) Comparative efficacy of active recovery and cold water immersion as post-match recovery interventions in elite youth soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(11-12), pp. 1423-1431. ISSN (print) 0264-0414

Moir, Hannah J., Kemp, Rachael, Folkerts, Dirk, Spendiff, Owen, Pavlidis, Cristina and Opara, Elizabeth (2019) Genes and elite marathon running performance : a systematic review. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 18, pp. 559-568. ISSN (print) 1303-2968

Howe, Christopher C.F., Pummell, Elizabeth, Pang, Susan, Spendiff, Owen and Moir, Hannah (2019) Emotional intelligence and mood states impact on the stress response to a treadmill ultramarathon. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22(7), pp. 763-768. ISSN (print) 1440-2440

Benedetti, Simone, Al-Tannak, Naser F., Alzharani, Mansour, Moir, Hannah J., Stensel, David J., Thackray, Alice E., Naughton, Declan, Dorak, Mehmet T., Spendiff, Owen, Hill, Natasha, Watson, David G. and Allgrove, Judith (2019) Plasma free fatty acids metabolic profile with LC-MS and appetite-related hormones in South Asian and White European men in relation to adiposity, physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness : a cross-sectional study. Metabolites, 9(4), p. 71. ISSN (online) 2218-1989

Howe, Christopher, Alshehri, Ahmed, Muggeridge, David, Mullen, Alexander, Boyd, Marie, Spendiff, Owen, Moir, Hannah and Watson, David (2018) Untargeted metabolomics profiling of an 80.5 km simulated treadmill ultramarathon. Metabolites, 8(1), p. 14. ISSN (online) 2218-1989

Pooley, Sam, Spendiff, Owen, Allen, Matt and Moir, Hannah J. (2017) Static stretching does not enhance recovery time in elite youth soccer players. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 3(1), e000202. ISSN (online) 2055-7647

Patel, Rishikesh Kankesh, Brouner, James and Spendiff, Owen (2015) Dark chocolate supplementation reduces the oxygen cost of moderate intensity cycling. Journal Of The International Society Of Sports Nutrition, 12(47), ISSN (online) 1550-2783

Muggeridge, David J, Howe, Christopher C F, Spendiff, Owen, Pedlar, Charles, James, Philip E. and Easton, Chris (2014) A single dose of beetroot juice enhances cycling performance in simulated altitude. Medicine And Science In Sports And Exercise, 46(1), pp. 143-150. ISSN (print) 0195-9131

Muggeridge, David J., Howe, Christopher C. F., Spendiff, Owen, Pedlar, Charles, James, Philip E. and Easton, Chris (2013) The effects of a single dose of concentrated beetroot juice on performance in trained flatwater kayakers. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 23(5), pp. 498-506. ISSN (print) 1543-2742

Book Section

Gurney, Tom, Brouner, James and Spendiff, Owen (2023) The efficacy of microalgae supplementation for exercise performance. In: Dominguez, Herminia , Pereira, Leonel and Kraan, Stefan, (eds.) Functional ingredients from algae for foods and nutraceuticals. 2nd ed. Oxford, U.K. : Woodhead Publishing. pp. 565-592. (Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition) ISBN 9780323988193

Ali, B., Spendiff, O. and Brouner, J. (2016) Comparison of locomotive classifications between central and external defenders in elite youth soccer players. In: Favero, Terence , Drust, Barry and Dawson, Brian, (eds.) International research in science and soccer II. London, U.K. : Routledge. pp. 294-301. ISBN 9781138920897

Conference or Workshop Item

Howe, C.C.F, Pummell, E., Pang, S., Spendiff, O. and Moir, H.J. (2018) Trait emotional intelligence, mood states & cortisol response to a treadmill ultramarathon. In: 23rd Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science; 04 - 07 Jul 2018, Dublin Ireland. (Unpublished)

Moir, H.J., Howe, C.C.F., Alsheheri, A., Muggeridge, D., Mullen, A.B., Boyd, M., Spendiff, O. and Watson, D.G. (2018) Novel use of untargetted metabolomic profiling of treadmill ultramarathon running. In: 23rd Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science; 04 - 07 Jul 2018, Dublin Ireland. (Unpublished)

Alshehri, Ahmed, Howe, Christopher, Muggeridge, David, Mullen, Alexander B., Boyd, Marie, Spendiff, Owen, Pummell, Elizabeth, Moir, Hannah J. and Watson, David G. (2017) Untargeted metabolomics profiling of ultramarathon exercise simulated on a treadmill in healthy adults. In: MetaboMeeting 2017; 11-13 Dec 2017, Birmingham, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Ronca, Flaminia, Spendiff, Owen and Swann, Nicola (2017) Elastic tubes and dumbbells elicit complementary activation patterns that are enhanced at higher action velocities. In: 8th Asia-Pacific Congress on Sports Technology; 15th-19th October 2017, Tel Aviv. (Unpublished)

Pooley, Sam, Allen, Matt, Spendiff, Owen and Moir, Hannah (2016) The effect of static stretching on muscle recovery following competitive soccer matches. In: European College of Sport Science (ECSS) 21st Annual Congress; 6 - 9 Jul 2016, Vienna, Austria.

This list was generated on Wed Sep 13 06:45:25 2023 BST.

Leadership and management

Owen has more than thirty years experience of leadership and management.  First as  Manager in the Leisure Industry (1990-94), then as a Deputy Head of the School of Applied and Health Sciences at Farnborough College (FCoT/UNiS).  These roles were followed by a longstanding employment as a Field Leader in Sport and Exercise Science and now the current Head of the Department for Applied and Human Sciences at KU.   At the heart of his leadership is his dedication to the Institute goals and more importantly to the staff experience so they can work effectively towards excellence across academic domains. Owen's leadership philosophy is to carefully craft roles and responsibilities of individuals that best suit their skills and the needs of the team.  The ultimate goal is to bring together a sense of identity and pride while vastly improving academic rigour. At Kingston, Owen led and coordinated the Kingston Sport team over the complete reframing and strategy of the three undergraduate Sport and Exercise Science courses under KU-RAF in 2012, the development of MSc taught and research degrees.  Moreover, he also contributed to the development of partnerships with Nescot in Sport with the Fulham Foundation and also helped in the design of Sport and Exercise at Richmond College.

University responsibilities

  • Head, Department of Applied and Human Sciences