Hazel's undergraduate studies were completed at Chichester Institute of Higher Education culminating in a BSc (Hons) in Sport Studies, awarded by the University of Southampton. The institute then gained the status of University College and Hazel obtained an MSc in Sport and Exercise Science, completing a physiology pathway. From Chichester she transferred to Canterbury Christ Church University in order to undertake research into the myogenic and neurogenic constraints to increasing joint range of motion. From this research position she then transferred onto the lecturing staff in order to become field leader in Biomechanics and Movement Analysis, within the department of Sport Science, Tourism & Leisure. At this time she registered with British Gymnastics as a practising coach educator. Alongside this she undertook a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching which has led to research interests within higher education. 

Hazel joined the University of Southampton in 2004, teaching biomechanics and research methods (sport, education and psychology). At this time she undertook a PhD investigating the expectations and perceptions of undergraduate students studying sport degrees, focussing on the student experience. In 2013 she transferred to the Faculty of Health Sciences and focussed on teaching quantitative methods to postgraduate students but in 2014 returned to her home subject and took up a position within the University of Winchester to undertake teaching and research in the science of sport coaching. She became the Programme Leader for the Coaching degrees in 2015, and in 2017 became the Head of Department.  She is now the Associate Dean (Academic Experience and Student Outcomes) in the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing.  Hazel holds a variety of research interests and has published in sport coaching, executive coaching, wellbeing and education. 

Higher Education Teaching Qualification

Higher Education Academy Senior Fellowship (SFHEA)

• Coach education
• Sport pedagogy
• Learning and teaching in higher education
• Physical activity and wellbeing

Supervision of Research Students

Hazel is a UK Council of Graduate Education (UKCGE)-accredited research supervisor. She welcomes enquiries abour postgraduate research supervision. Her areas of supervision are:

• Sports coaching
• Sport pedagogy
• Wellbeing and blue space
• Higher education and the student experience
• Equality and diversity in higher education

Funding awards

• July 2016 – September 2016 – Co-recipient (with Professor K Bhopal, University of Southampton) of a grant award from the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education to evaluate the Diversifying Academic Leadership programme (Phase 2 evaluation).
• April 2015-April 2016 – Co-recipient (with Professor K Bhopal, University of Southampton) of research grant award from the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education for a project investigating support networks and strategies for success of BME leaders in higher education
• May-September 2014 – Research Fellow employed under grant money from the University of Southampton's Strategic Research Development Fund: Exploring Classroom Interaction with Dynamic Social Network Analysis (Principal Investigator Dr C Bokhove)
• October 2013-May20014 – Research Fellow employed under grant money from the Equality Challenge Unit: Investigating Academic Flight from the UK (Principle Investigator Professor K Bhopal)
• January-October 2010 – Co-recipient (with R Humphrey) of a grant awarded to evaluate the Exercise Referral Scheme for Southampton Primary Care Trust

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health
• Member of the Society for Research in Higher Education

• Gennings, E.K., Brown, H.J. & Hewlett, D. (2021) Constructing a definition: adolescent wellbeing from  the perspective of the child and expert.  International Journal of Wellbeing, 11(1), 69-88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v11i1.1461
• Smith, S.M., Cotterill, S.T. & Brown, H. (2020) An interpretive phenomenological analysis of coach perceptions in the practice environment.  The Sport Psychologist 34(4), 257-267.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2020-0021 
• Smith, S.M., Cotterill, S.T. & Brown, H. (2019) A Case Study of Factors Influencing Performance in the Practice Environment.  Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology 3(1), 33-40.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/cssep.2019-0004
• Stewart T. Cotterill & H Brown (2018): An exploration of the perceived health, life skill and academic benefits of dinghy sailing for 9-13-year-old school children, Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, DOI: 10.1080/14729679.2018.1424001
• Brown, H. (2017) Executive Report: The State of Play in European Coaching & Mentoring.Henley Business School & EMCC International 
• Bhopal, K. & Brown, H. (2016) Black and minority ethnic leaders: support networks and strategies for success. London: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education [pending].
• Bhopal, K., Brown, H. & Jackson, J. (2016) BME academic flight from UK to overseas higher education: aspects of marginalisation and exclusion. British Educational Research Journal, 42 (2), 240-257.
•  Bhopal, K., Brown, H. & Jackson, J. (2015) Academic Flight: how to encourage black and minority ethnic academics to stay in UK Higher Education.  Equality Challenge Unit, UK. 
• Humphrey, R. & Brown, H. (2010) An evaluation of the Active Options Exercise Referral Scheme. Southampton Primary Care Trust.
• Byrne, J., Brown, H. and Challen, D. (2010) Peer development as an alternative to peer observation: a tool to enhance professional development. International Journal for Academic Development, 15, (3), 215-228