Martyn Standage

Martyn Standage is Professor of Psychology, Health, and Applied Science in the Department for Health. He is also the Director of the University's Centre for Motivation and Health Behaviour Change. Martyn received his PhD from the University of Birmingham in 2003.

Professor Standage has authored over 170 journal papers and book chapters. His research programme at Bath has been supported by grants totalling over £5 million from funders such as the Medical Research Council (MRC), Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR), The British Academy, and The Leverhulme Trust.

The major focus of Prof Standage's work is to: (1) map the motivational determinants of adaptive and maintained engagement in health, exercise, sport, and education settings; and (2) utilise this information to inform the design, development, and evaluation of interventions targeted at enhancing effective functioning, health, performance, and wellbeing. Professor Standage recently extended his work to also entail a broader interdisciplinary perspective to physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and objective health outcomes (including, integrating motivational perspectives within models that specify multiple levels of influence and across 24-hour periods). In this regard, he led the UK contribution to the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle, and the Environment, which encompasses data from 12 countries across five major regions of the world to investigate the influence of behavioural settings and physical, social and policy environments on obesity.

Martyn currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology (2016-), served as an Associate Editor for Motivation and Emotion (2010-2017), and sits on the Editorial Board of Stress and Health. Prof Standage is a member of the Implementation and Surveillance expert working group for the Chief Medical Officer's UK physical activity guidelines (expected release: September 2019). He was also a member of the Development Team for Public Health England's 'Moving Medicine' work that is conducted in liaison with Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine. Martyn is the Chief Scientific Officer for Active Healthy Kids England which produces a national 'report card' for the 'state of the nation' in regard to children's physical activity. Lastly, Prof. Standage is a member of the Peer-Review College of the ESRC and regularly sits on grant panels nationally and internationally.