Mitch joined the School in October 2007. Mitch holds a BSc (Hon) degree, MSc (distinction) and  a PhD in pulmonary exercise physiology (Brunel University, 2007). She is a BASES Accredited Sport & Exercise Scientist and a Chartered Scientist (UK Science Council). As well as providing scientific support to a number of individual athletes, Mitch has also provided scientific support to the England pistol shooting squad, Swim England and British Swimming, as well as a number of commerical companies. Mitch’s main research interest centres on breathing limitations and methods to help alleviate them.

Mitch is the MSc Human and Applied Physiology course leader and module coordinator for Advanced Exercise Physiology (level 5). Mitch also co-teaches on a number of undergraduate and postgraduate modules and  supervises undergraudate and postgraduate project and research students as well as indviduals undertaking BASES supervised experience. 

Mitch’s research focuses primarily on breathing limitations during exercise and methods used to ameliorate them including respiratory muscle training and respiratory muscle warm-ups. This work includes exercise responses in both normoxic and hypoxic environments. Mitch has a special interest in swimming physiology and has undertaken research for Swim England, the IOC and FINA looking at recovery strategies for swimming performance in pool based swimmers and safe lower water limits for open water swimming and triathlon.  In addition, Mitch's research has examined the occurrence and consequences of breathing muscle fatigue in swimming, oxygen uptake kinetic responses during swimming and the effect of inspiratory muscle training on swimming performance.