Welcome to our new Deputy Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Science and Health

Professor Alan (Zig) St Clair Gibson is our new Deputy Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Science and Health.

Before starting at Essex, Professor St Clair Gibson was Dean of the Faculty of Health, Sport and Human Performance, at University of Waikato in New Zealand. Prior to that, he was Head of the School of Medicine at the University of Free State in South Africa.

Professor St Clair Gibson’s wealth of experience includes also being the Research Chair, Director of Research and Head of Department at the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Northumbria University, and a Research Fellow at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health in the USA.

He graduated from the University of Cape Town with an MBChB in 1990, a PhD in 1997 and an MD in 2002. He has written 150 research publications and had more than 7,500 citations. Professor Gibson’s research focuses on the biological and psychological control mechanisms which regulate human function and activity, with a particular emphasis on what controls our desires to do sport and what controls our body and brain during sport.

Speaking about his new role at Essex, Professor St Clair Gibson said: “I am delighted to be working at such a great university with so many well-respected, world-class academics from a wide range of disciplines. Essex is one of the best universities in the UK and boasts an impressive research-growth focused culture, which is reflected in its strong position in the UK league tables. It is also lovely to work in such a beautiful campus environment.”

Professor Graham Underwood, Executive Dean for our Faculty of Science and Health, said: “I am really pleased that Zig has joined the Faculty team. He has a wealth of experience from university sectors across the world, and his personal research interests touch on many areas of activity in the Faculty and beyond. He will make a significant contribution to our mission of delivering world-class science and health research at the University of Essex.”