Events

Abstract

In an era of polycrisis, the flourishing of people and planet depends on our willingness to drive transformational change. Few domains are better positioned to lead such change than sport - a $2.3 trillion global economy, projected to grow to $8.8 trillion by 2050 (World Economic Forum, 2026) - and one of humanity's most powerful forces in shaping societal values. This lecture introduces eco-sociopreneurship as a framework to help reimagine sport for the wellbeing of both people and planet.

• Inaugural Professorial Lecture: Professor Fiona Chambers, School of Education, UCC
• Chair: Professor Maggie O’Neill
• Respondent 1 : Dr Rachel Sandford, Reader, Loughborough University
• Respondent 2 : Lucy Mills, CEO, Ready Sport Global

Biographies

• Fiona Chambers is Professor of Education, Sport and Innovation at University College Cork, Ireland, with over 30 years of international pracademic experience. A founder, researcher, teacher educator, design thinking coach, and two-time TEDx speaker, she serves as President of AIESEP (Association Internationale des Écoles Supérieures d'Éducation Physique), Vice President of CEREPS (European Research Council for Physical Education and School Sport), Senior Advisor to the UNESCO Global Observatory in Gender Equality and Sport, UNESCO CIGEPS Observer (Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport), and is the co-Founder of the European Educational Research Association Network 18 Research in Sport Pedagogy. In 2025, she co-founded #PE4PISA, a global movement advocating for the inclusion of physical education in OECD PISA. In 2023, she received the inaugural Federation of Irish Sport ‘Women in Business in Sport’ award and has been named among Sport for Business '50 Women of Influence in Irish Sport' (2023–2025). She is a government-appointed Sport Ireland board member.

• Dr Rachel Sandford is a Reader in Physical Education, Youth and Social Justice in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, UK. She is also the Co-Lead of the Loughborough UNESCO Chair in Sport, Physical Activity and Education for Development. Her research centres on young people’s development in/through sport and physical activity and she has a particular interest in issues around popular culture, embodied identity and positive youth development. Dr Sandford has an international reputation for undertaking high-quality and impactful research with and for young people in the fields of physical education, physical activity and youth sport. Her research expertise centres on youth development, embodied identity, values-based education, trauma-informed approaches, and the sport, physical activity and physical education experiences of marginalized youth. She is also renowned for her expertise in relation to youth voice and the use of creative and participatory methods in research with children and youth. Dr Sandford has published widely in academic journals on these topics and has authored various book chapters and edited books including the recent Research with Children and Young People in Physical Education and Youth Sport (Routledge, 2024). She has previously held lead roles within the British Educational Research Association and European Educational Research Association physical education special interest groups and is a current member of the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) College of Experts.

• Lucy Mills is the Founder & Chief Catalyst, Ready Sport Global (READY), a digital innovation consultancy at the intersection of sport, technology, and social impact. A leader in AI adoption and digital transformation, she helps the sports industry navigate change and drive digital-first growth. With over 20 years in football — including roles at FC Barcelona and FIFA World Cup legacy programmes across 30+ countries — she brings a global perspective as a coach, director, and educator. Recipient of the 2023 Everything in Sport Award for emerging tech education in women's sport and formerly sports innovation professor at Emlyon Business School, Lucy is committed to ensuring technology supports a more inclusive future for sport.