معرفی
Gayle McPherson is a Professor at the University of the West of Scotland's School of Business and Creative Industries, directing the Centre for Culture, Sport and Events. Her research focuses on leveraging sport, events, and cultural policy to drive societal change, particularly for marginalized communities. She specializes in cultural diplomacy, mega-event impacts, and disability-inclusive sport policies.
- Affiliations: Director, Centre for Culture, Sport and Events (UWS); Advisor to Commonwealth Games Scotland 2026; Member of British Council Scottish Advisory Group and European Cultural Parliament.
- Research Interests: Mega-event legacies, public value through sport/cultural events, soft power via diplomacy, disability participation, and EDI in festivals.
Her work explores how events like the Commonwealth Games and Paralympics can enhance public value and promote inclusion. Recent projects include evaluating the social value of community events and analyzing parasport representations in media.
Key contributions include co-leading SSHRC-funded research on disability rights and parasport events, completing studies on cultural heritage in Kenya and Scotland’s disability sport participation. Awards include the 2014 Gold Medal Research Impact Award for her work's societal impact.
McPherson advises governments and NGOs on cultural policy, including the UK’s FCDO and OECD. She frequently engages in media discussions about hosting mega-events and their geopolitical roles.
