CASES Fellow Spotlight: Professor Lindsay Bottoms

As part of our Fellows Spotlight Series, this week we introduce Professor Lindsay Bottoms FCASES.

Leading Through Research, Resilience, and a Lifelong Love of Sport 

Professor Lindsay Bottoms is no stranger to overcoming challenges. As Professor of Exercise and Health Sciences and Head of the Centre for Research in Psychology and Sports at the University of Hertfordshire, her career is deeply entwined with personal passion, lived experience, and tireless dedication to advancing her discipline.

She became a CASES Fellow in 2020, driven by a desire to expand her contribution, “I was doing several voluntary roles for CASES (then BASES) and decided that I wanted to do more,” she explains. Fellowship also aligned with her ambition: “I was looking at my future academic career… and being a Fellow would support my ambitions of becoming a professor.”

Today, Lindsay reflects on her Fellowship with pride, “It shows that I do a significant amount for our professional body. Being a Fellow makes me feel more connected to CASES.”

A Career of Purpose and Personal Connection

Her greatest career moment reflects both her professional expertise and her lived experience with Crohn’s disease, “Getting my first research grant as PI… looking at high- and moderate-intensity exercise in adults with Crohn’s disease. Having lived with Crohn’s all my life, this was a very important moment for me.”

Her dual expertise, fencing performance and exercise for chronic disease, showcases the breadth of her impact. In fencing, she has influenced participation, performance, and gender equity on an international scale. In health research, she brings empathy and authenticity, advocating passionately for the role of exercise in improving quality of life.

Navigating a Changing Higher Education Landscape

Lindsay is candid about the pressures facing senior academics, “The climate of higher education has changed rapidly. Professors are under a lot of stress to bring in research money to prove their worth.”

Her experience shines a light on sector-wide challenges, but also on her resilience and continued commitment to meaningful research.

Her advice to early career professionals reflects her generosity as a mentor, “Take every opportunity that comes your way, but if you say yes, make sure you do it.”

She champions mentorship as a powerful tool for career clarity and direction.

Passion, Sport, and Global Competition

Her love of sport runs deep. A decorated epee fencer, Lindsay competed at the Veteran World Championships in 2025, captaining the women’s team to victory, “We became World Champions,” she shares proudly.

She also holds a Commonwealth bronze medal, achievements that exemplify her drive and athleticism.

A Voice for the Future

Lindsay’s career exemplifies leadership grounded in passion, community, and lived experience. Her Fellow status recognises both her academic excellence and her commitment to the profession. Through her research, mentorship, and advocacy, she continues to shape the future of sport and exercise science, and to inspire countless practitioners to follow.