Michael Graham

Michael Graham is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at Teesside University's School of Health and Life Sciences (SHLS), affiliated with the Centre for Public Health. He teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including the FdSc Sports Coaching and the MSc Strength & Conditioning for rehab and recovery. His academic leadership includes designing postgraduate programs in Sport and Exercise Medicine and contributing to curriculum development. An active researcher, his work focuses on childhood physical activity, school environments, mental health interventions, and obesogenic environments. He holds a PhD investigating playgrounds as environments for enhancing fundamental movement skills in primary school children.

Dr. Graham's research spans physical activity promotion in schools, workplace health initiatives, and mental health inpatient interventions. He has led projects such as 'Understanding the impact of physical activity during the North East England lockdowns (2020-2021)' and explored the relationship between physical activity and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). He is currently an External Examiner at the University of Strathclyde (2024–2027) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

• Education: MSc Sport and Exercise Science, PhD in Public Health/Physical Activity Interventions
• Professional Qualifications: Personal Trainer, Vocational Assessor

His research interests include physical literacy, school PE reform, and the socio-ecological factors influencing children's activity levels. Recent work has highlighted barriers to physical activity on acute mental health units and the efficacy of brief workplace HIIT interventions. He collaborates with public health agencies and community organizations to translate research into practice.

Grant-funded projects include studies on lockdown physical activity trends and ME/CFS exercise tolerance. His advisory services have supported students through vocational qualifications while balancing academic demands. He is committed to bridging research, education, and community impact in health sciences.

Labs/Teams: Part of Teesside University's Centre for Public Health and collaborates with the Sport and Exercise Research Group. Active in interdisciplinary projects combining education, public health, and clinical practice.