Richard Thelwell

Richard Thelwell is a Professor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science & Health at the University of Portsmouth. Previously serving as Head of School for Sport, Health, and Exercise Science, he holds a Personal Chair in Applied Sport Psychology (2017). A Chartered Psychologist and BASES Fellow, his research focuses on coach psychology, stress management, and practitioner development. He edits Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology and contributes to editorial boards of leading journals.

Research interests include psychophysiological stress responses in coaches, mindfulness-based interventions, and accreditation standards in sport psychology. His work spans over 119 peer-reviewed publications, including studies on elite athlete performance, referee well-being, and organizational stressors in sports. Notable awards include BASES Fellowship and Health and Care Professions Council registration.

As an academic leader, he oversees faculty strategy while maintaining active research collaborations with national/international sports bodies. His lab focuses on applied sport psychology, with recent projects examining vulnerability in elite sport and stress management in high-performance coaching.