Dr Jenny Conlon

Biography

Jenny is a Senior Lecturer in the discipline of Exercise & Sport Science. She received a BSc (Hons) and MSc from Northumbria University (Newcastle, England), and completed her PhD examining periodised resistance training in older adults at Edith Cowan University. Jenny is also an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with ESSA and has practiced in various settings including private practice, corporate health and hospitals.

Jenny is a strong advocate for the notion that exercise is medicine which serves as the foundation of her teaching and research and is determined to promote the integration of exercise into healthcare, ultimately striving to combat the chronic disease epidemic via more effective, sustainable and economic methods. Further, Jenny is involved in research collaborations with various external organisations including Football West, Surfing WA, Fiona Stanley Hospital and 20Talk.

Jenny is passionate about promoting mental health and wellbeing within UNDA, and in the local community, particularly among disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Jenny is active in volunteering and supports various non-for-profit organisations that support this mission, with previous roles and involvement at Fremantle Mind, Be Inspired Foundation, Wheelchairs for Kids, Pets of Older Persons, and the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy.

Teaching areas

Clinical Exercise Physiology
Resistance Training
Well-Being
Work-Integrated Learning

Research expertise and supervision

PhDs

2023 – current, Andrew Boxsell
Girls Can Play Too: Investigating the impact of a strengths-based intervention on the retention of adolescent girls in organised sport.
2021 – current, Tony Carroll
Keep Calm and Breathe Slow: Exploring the use of slow breathing to mitigate stress in pre-service teachers.
2020 – current, Mikayla Lyons
An exploration of the female soccer talent pathway in Western Australia.

Honours

2024 – Michael Brick
Mental Health Maintenance: Exploring the efficacy of a multi-component program on well-being and self-efficacy.
2024 – Alice Congdon
An exploration of strength and conditioning practices within the Western Australian national premier league.
2023 – Teegan Burns
Preparedness Leads to Confidence: An exploration of pre-service teacher training for managing student's mental health concerns.
2023 – Jonah Musitano
Training Smart: Exploring the impact of a university staff fitness program on employee productivity and cognition.
2023 – Tyson Zuin
Exploration of physical performance capacities in WA emerging adolescent surfing talent pools.
2021 – Kristen De Marco
The relationship between relative lower-body strength and change of direction ability in elite youth female soccer athletes.
2020 – Amy Perejmibida
Physical performance capacity and competition outcomes in emerging adolescent surfing athletes.
2019 – Mikayla Lyons
Sustained passing performance of elite and sub-elite female soccer players following a female match-specific exercise protocol.

Journal articles and proceedings

Musitano J, Conlon JA, Chivers P and Cripps A. Training Smart: Exploring the impact of a university staff fitness program on employee productivity and cognition (submitted).
Zuin T, Conlon JA and Cripps A. Exploration of Physical Performance Capacities in WA Emerging Adolescent Surfing Talent Pool (submitted).
Burns B, Conlon JA, Piggott B and Timler A. Preparedness Leads to Confidence: An exploration of pre-service teaching training for manging student’s mental health concerns (submitted).
Lyons M, Conlon J, Nimphius S, Keller B and Joyce C. An Athlete’s Perspective: Comparing Talent Development Environments for Boys and Girls in Western Australia Youth Soccer. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 2023.
Cripps AJ, Conlon JA, Papaluca C and Ardzejewska K. Bi-modal work integrated learning experiences: Enhancing graduate attributes in exercise and sport science. International Journal of Work Integrated Learning, 2023.
De Marco K, Lyons M, Joyce C and Conlon JA. The relationship between relative lower-body strength and change of direction ability in elite youth female soccer athletes. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 2023.
Piggott B, Chivers P, Bulsara C, Conlon JA, Grigg K, Harris SA, Lambert M, Millar M and Pollard CM. “I'm making a positive change in my life”: A mixed method evaluation of a well‐being tertiary education unit. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2022.
Perejmibidia A, Conlon JA, Lyons M and Cripps AJ. The impact of age on physical performance capacities in emerging adolescent surfing athletes: An argument for off-water training. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 2022.
Joyce C, Farringdon F, Bycroft J, Anthony S and Conlon JA. Effect of age-related musculoskeletal conditions on senior golfer physical capacity, golf performance ability and playing characteristics. International Journal of Golf Science, 2021.
Lyons M, Conlon JA, Perejmibida A, Chivers P and Joyce C. Sustained passing performance of elite and subelite female soccer players following a female match-specific exercise protocol. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2020.

Conference papers

Lyons M, Nimphus S, Conlon JA, Keller BS and Joyce C. The influence of relative strength: youth soccer. National Youth Sport Conference, Adelaide, 2023.
Conlon JA, Papaluca C, Ardzejewska K, Cripps AJ. Examining a Unique Bi-Modal Work Integrated Learning Experience in Supporting the Attainment of Graduate Attributes in Exercise & Sport Science Students. ESSA Research to Practice, Online, May 2022.
Joyce C, Conlon JA, Bycroft J, Anthony S and Farringdon F. Hitting longer and stronger: Enhanced golf performance in senior golfers with age-related musculoskeletal conditions following a strength-training intervention. ESSA Research to Practice, Online, May 2022.
Cripps, A, Conlon JA, Hunter JR, Merrells R, Farringdon F and McIntyre F. Can the kids help? A pilot study into a student trained-led employee health and well-being program. ESSA Research to Practice, Online, May 2021.
Joyce C, Farringdon F, Bycroft J, Anthony S and Conlon JA. How age-related musculoskeletal conditions affect golf participation characteristics and mental well-being in senior golfers. ESSA Research to Practice, Online, May 2021.
Perejmibida A, Conlon JA, Lyons M and Cripps AJ. The impact of age and maturation on physical performance capacities in emerging adolescent surfing athletes: an argument for off-water training. ASCA International Conference, Online, November 2021.
Conlon JA, Tufano JJ, Newton RU and Haff GG. The effect of periodised versus non-periodised resistance training on body composition in older adults. ESSA Research to Practice, Online, May 2021.

Professional affiliations

Exercise & Sport Science Australia (ESSA)
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA)

Awards

UNDA Education Scholar Summit Award (2021, 2022)
Business Events Perth- Aspire Award ($5,000) (2021)
CSIRO- On Prime ($4,000 Performance Bonus & Facilitator Award) (2019)
CERI- Entrepreneurial Mindset Bootcamp Scholarship ($1,980 scholarship) (2019)
UNDA Learning & Teaching Office Seed Grant Scholarship ($3,000) (2019)
UNDA Research Grant Scheme (2019) - University Staff Fitness Program ($4,986) (2019)
NSCA Women’s Scholarship ($3000) (2014 & 2015)
ECU International Postgraduate Scholarship ($78,000) (2013)
ECU Collaborative Research Scholarship ($15,000) (2013)

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