The Performance Scientist

Bat poo crazy 💩
Have you ever wondered where this phase comes from? Zoonoses, pathogens that jump from animals to humans, is a side interest of mine. I was introduced to this field of study in 2019 during a Tropical Medicine module as part of MSc Extreme Medicine.

You will never look at fruit bats in the same way… They are thought to be the natural reservoir for a multitude of Zoonoses including Ebola, a nasty hemorrhagic fever virus that recently inflicted the capital city of Uganda while we were there.

The outbreak is interesting from a public health perspective as previously such Zoonotic outbreaks would be confined to a remote village and poorly reported upon. Yet, as we have learned from Covid, which is another Zoonotic disease, also thought to originate from bats, pathogens can now piggy back on our increased travel patterns.

Fortunately, unlike Covid, Ebola is not airborne. It is transmitted by direct contact with a symptomatic patient, by consuming an infected bat, by consuming an infected animal (eg consumed animal had eaten fruit with infected bat saliva), a scratch/bite of an infected bat, or inhalation/ingestion of infected bat urine/dried faeces.

Interestingly, deforestation has an impact on bat interaction with humans. Destroying their habitats forces them to seek alternative nesting locations, such as man made structures.

Anyway, on a hike near the border of Congo we came across a cave we had to go through, but knowing the above I wasn’t very keen. I kept my head down until I didn’t… and my headtorch lit up a little furry body hanging out upside down with 2 of his buddies.

It felt like the start of a Contagion movie script, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit to hightailing it out of there. And I still stick to my risk assessment… even if our guide told me the local tribesmen concluded there was only 1 person in that cave that was bat poo crazy… 🤭

If you’re as interested as I am in Zoonotic disease an excellent introductory read is ‘Spillover’ by David Quammen. The knowledge came in incredibly useful as much of the interventions we replicated during the height of the Delta variant (Covid) for the movie industry was based upon best practice for Ebola (eg how to don and doff PPE when swabbing). Fascinating! 🤓

Human Performance Science
What sets individuals apart from the crowd? Why do some workforces thrive? Who is happy? How can we be ‘more’?

In the dark pages of dusty journals that people don’t read are the answers. Research that has been carefully undertaken so it can be applied real world. The skill of a Human Performance Scientist is taking that research and translating it into practical interventions on the ground to benefit.

A good example is a clever approach to mitigating heat stress during endurance events in the desert. ‘Be bold start cold’ is commonly applied to cold weather events as athletes will warm naturally as soon as they start activity (mindful of peripherals). For a current desert project we’ve gone for ‘Before hot cool alot’ Why start an event already warm..?

And these approaches can be transferred from the field into business. For example, Blue Collar Workers productivity is impacted by rising heat - what simple measures could reduce heat stress, boost productivity and mental wellbeing all in one hit? How could this be adapted for office workers in the Middle East to keep them safe and healthy?

This time 2 years ago I was working as Chief Scientific Advisor for World Extreme Medicine | B Corp Certified / Paramount Pictures on major Hollywood movies throughout the pandemic. Alongside the Chief Medical Advisor we took emerging COVID research to construct and implement bespoke protocols based on cultural behaviour and global locations. Paramount was the only studio that did not shut down at any stage throughout those 3 years. They trusted the science and World Extreme Medicine experts to interpret as required.

So Human Performance Science is very, very cool. It impacts every area of our lives 24/7.

But maybe not quite as cool as the wrap jacket in the post from Mission Impossible 8… 😋

… oh come on you know you would have posted about that too! Feel like a kid at Christmas. And yes I will be wearing it as it’s the awesome outdoor kit Haglöfs 😎

Adventure Sports Science & Medicine
Are you a U.K based student, graduate, lecturer, sports coach, or established professional in the field of Sport & Health Sciences?

Looking to diversify your skill set to enhance employability within the multi-billion dollar adventure & expedition industry?

Join me on Dartmoor (U.K) March 2025 for a deep-dive into working with amateur and elite athletes in challenging environments.

▶️ How to construct adventure planning
documents
▶️ Targeted development of situational
awareness
▶️ Common injuries and illness in
adventure settings
▶️ Environmental impact on performance
▶️ Risk mitigation and management
▶️ Outdoor Emergency First Response
▶️ Case study analysis
▶️ Key secondary skill development
▶️ Simulated emergency scenarios
▶️ Leading and working as a team

Adventure Sports Science & Medicine
Dartmoor, United Kingdom
Sat 01 and/or Sun 02 March 2025
£225 (Day 1 or Day 2) or £425 (2 days). Meals and accommodation included for both days.

Bookings open. Contact me directly via LinkedIn message or [email protected] for a copy of the timetable and further details.

This mixture of didactic and practical sessions will expand your skill sets to work with amateur and elite adventure sport athletes, and to add value to relevant industry projects.

Underpinned by 25 years experience and applied research. Certificates upon completion.