Joan Duda

Professor Joan Duda is a leading academic in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, and holds an adjunct professorship at the University of Bergen, Norway. She is internationally recognized for her research on motivation, adherence, and optimal functioning in physical activity contexts.

• Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1981)
• M.S., Purdue University (1978)
• B.A., Rutgers University (1977)

Her research integrates theoretical frameworks with methodological rigor, focusing on motivational processes in sport, exercise, and dance. She develops and evaluates theory-based interventions for both healthy and clinical populations across the lifespan. Her work spans field and laboratory studies using advanced quantitative and qualitative methods. Professor Duda leads the Motivating Healthy Lifestyle theme within the Centre for Obesity Research and is affiliated with the Center on Healthy Ageing and the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Movement.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in applying motivational science to clinical and public health contexts, particularly in managing chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and cancer. She frequently investigates autonomous motivation, sedentary behavior, physical activity adherence, and intervention development using mixed-methods and randomized trial designs.

• Honorary Doctoral Degree, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (2008)
• Visiting International Scholar, Australian Sport Psychology Society (1997)
• Fellow, Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology
• Fellow, European College of Sport Sciences
• Fellow, International Association of Applied Psychology
• Fellow, American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Professor Duda has led major funded projects totaling over £3 million from bodies including the European Commission, UK Medical Research Council, and The FA. She has advised elite athletes and teams, including the USA Gymnastics Women’s Olympic Team (1996), and currently serves as performance psychology consultant for the Birmingham Royal Ballet. She has held editorial roles in top journals such as Journal of Applied Sport Psychology and Motivation and Emotion, and is actively involved in professional leadership, including past presidency of AASP and service on the ECSS Scientific Committee. She leads research teams and mentors doctoral researchers, contributing significantly to the training of future scholars in applied sport psychology.