Dr Jenni Connelly

Senior Lecturer

Sport University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Dr Jenni Connelly

Contact details

About me

I am currently a Lecturer in Physical activity for Health based within the Faculty of Health Science and Sport. I graduated with a BA in Sport and Psychology from the University of Stirling in 2010. This is where my interests in how becoming more active can benefit our health started. This led me to Loughborough University where I completed an MSc in Physical activity and Health under the guidance of Professor Stuart Biddle. I completed my PhD in collaboration with the University of Highlands and Islands looking at physical activity promotion in chronic health. This led me back to Stirling where I was originally employed as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow on the Well!bingo project, a physical activity intervention aimed at getting older ladies who play bingo more active. I started my lecturing role in the Faculty of Health Science and Sport in 2016 and contribute on both the Sport Studies and Sport and Exercise Science programmes. I also contribute on the undergraduate nursing programme and the Masters in Public Health.

My research interests include physical activity in the prevention and management of health conditions, physical activity measurement, intervention design and physical activity promotion in hard to reach groups.

My research interests include how we can use physical activity to prevent, manage or cure health conditions. I am interested in how we can utilise technology to promote physical activity and behaviour change to populations whilst still taking a personalised approach. I am interested in methods of measurement of physical activity and sedentary behaviour and how these can both motivate and hinder our physical activity levels. I have experience in physical activity promotion in hard to reach groups working with a range of populations such as older adults, those with disabilities that may hinder their participation and people with physical or health conditions. I have worked with people with type 1 and 2 diabetes and looked at how we can use physical activity to manage and maintain blood sugar levels and delay the onset of diabetes related complications. I am interested in aspects of exercise psychology and how we can apply theories and models to increase and maintain physical activity behaviours.

Award

Best Collaborator in Research Award

Learning and Teaching Award

Divisional / Faculty Contribution

Learning and Teaching Officer for Sport

Member of Athena SWAN Committee
I am a member of the Faculty Equality, Diversity & Inclusion / Athena SWAN committee and I am in the Teaching Working Group.

Student Engagement Officer for Sport
I am the Student Engagement officer for Sport working closely with Students and Staff to enhance the Sport Academic Community.

Professional membership

Diabetes UK Professional Member
Diabetes UK

Member of British Psychological Society
British Psychological Society

The Physiology Society
The Physiological Society

Professional qualification

British Psychological Society Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist
British Psychological Society

Fellow Of Higher Education Academy
Higher Education Academy

Research projects (3)

Outputs (20)

Article

". . . Exercise opportunities became very important": Scottish older adults' changes in physical activity during Covid19'

Tomaz SA, Ryde GC, Swales B, Neely KC, Andreis F, Coffee P, Connelly J, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Martin JG, Pina I & Whittaker AC (2022) ". . . Exercise opportunities became very important": Scottish older adults' changes in physical activity during Covid19'. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 19, Art. No.: 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-022-00295-z

Article

Loneliness, Wellbeing, and Social Activity in Scottish Older Adults Resulting from Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tomaz SA, Coffee P, Ryde GC, Swales B, Neely KC, Connelly J, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Andreis F, Martin JG, Pina I & Whittaker AC (2021) Loneliness, Wellbeing, and Social Activity in Scottish Older Adults Resulting from Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (9), Art. No.: 4517. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094517

Conference Paper (unpublished)

Loneliness, social support and wellbeing in Scottish older adults as a result of social distancing during the Covid19 pandemic

Whittaker AC, Tomaz SA, Ryde G, Connelly J, Coffee P, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Andreis F, Swales B, Martin JG, Pina I & Neely KC (2020) Loneliness, social support and wellbeing in Scottish older adults as a result of social distancing during the Covid19 pandemic. American Psychosomatic Society 2020 Virtual Meeting, Online, 03.12.2020-04.12.2020. https://psychosomatic.org/meetings/annual-meeting-2020/

Conference Paper (unpublished)

Impact of Covid19 social distancing on the social and mental health of Scottish older adults

Whittaker AC, Tomaz SA, Coffee P, Ryde G, Connelly J, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Andreis F, Neely KC, Swales B, Martin JG & Pina I (2020) Impact of Covid19 social distancing on the social and mental health of Scottish older adults. Scottish Physical Activity Research Connections 2020 Digital Conference, Online, 11.11.2020-18.11.2020. https://www.sparc.education.ed.ac.uk/conference-2020/

Conference Paper (unpublished)

The impact of Covid19 on Scottish older adults’ physical activity: Changes and associations with wellbeing

Tomaz SA, Ryde G, Connelly J, Swales B, Martin JG, Pina I, Neely KC, Coffee P, Kirkland A, Andreis F, McCabe L, Watchman K & Whittaker AC (2020) The impact of Covid19 on Scottish older adults’ physical activity: Changes and associations with wellbeing. Scottish Physical Activity Research Connections 2020 Digital Conference, Online, 11.11.2020-18.11.2020. https://www.sparc.education.ed.ac.uk/conference-2020/

Article

The development of an intervention for diabetes prevention among people with impaired glucose regulation: feasibility and acceptability of an intervention component

Evans JMM, Irvine L, Cameron DM & Connelly J (2019) The development of an intervention for diabetes prevention among people with impaired glucose regulation: feasibility and acceptability of an intervention component. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5 (1), Art. No.: 52. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-019-0435-4

Article

A Website to Promote Physical Activity in People With Type 2 Diabetes Living in Remote or Rural Locations: Feasibility Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Connelly J, Kirk A, Masthoff J & MacRury S (2017) A Website to Promote Physical Activity in People With Type 2 Diabetes Living in Remote or Rural Locations: Feasibility Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Diabetes, 2 (2), Art. No.: e26. http://diabetes.jmir.org/2017/2/e26/; https://doi.org/10.2196/diabetes.6669

Conference Abstract

Using the internet to effectively promote physical activity in people living with type 2 diabetes in the Highlands: DAVE (Diabetes And Virtual Exercise)

Connelly J, Kirk A, Masthoff J & MacRury S (2015) Using the internet to effectively promote physical activity in people living with type 2 diabetes in the Highlands: DAVE (Diabetes And Virtual Exercise). Diabetes UK Professional Conference, London, 11/03/2015 - 13/03/2015. Diabetic Medicine, 32 (Supplement S1), p. 146. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dme.12668_1/full; https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.12668_1

Conference Abstract

Using the internet to reduce the barriers that prevent people with Type 2 diabetes from being active in rural areas

Connelly J, Kirk A, Masthoff J & MacRury S (2014) Using the internet to reduce the barriers that prevent people with Type 2 diabetes from being active in rural areas. Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2014, Liverpool, 05/03/2014 - 07/03/2014. Diabetic Medicine, 31 (s1), pp. 101-101. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dme.12378_2/epdf; https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.12378_2

Conference Abstract

Validity Of Accelerometer-derived Estimates Of Sedentary Behaviour

Clemes SA, Connelly J, Konstantinidis T, Koivula R, Edwardson CL, Yates T, Gorely T & Biddle SJH (2012) Validity Of Accelerometer-derived Estimates Of Sedentary Behaviour. American College of Sports Medicine 2012 Annual Meeting - ACSM 2012, San Francisco, CA, USA, 29/05/2012 - 02/06/2012. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44 (Supplement 2 5S), pp. 679-679.

Teaching

Year 1: Introduction to Sports Studies II.
Year 2: Foundations of Physical activity for Health.
Year 3/4: Psychology of Physical activity and Health.
Year 4: Physical activity and Health: prevention, management, cure & Major Project in Sports Studies.
Masters in Public Health: Health promotion in Hard to Reach Groups.

I am the Sport Student Engagement officer and I work closely with staff and students to enhance the Sport academic community and engagement with learning.

Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes