Gavin completed his PhD training at the University of South Australia which examined the neural basis of affective responses during exercise using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS; a non-invasive neuroimaging technique). He completed his initial postdoctoral training at Tomsk State University (Russia) and then escaped the Siberian winter to thaw out at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis on the French Riviera. His postdoc work examined the effects of exercise upon cognitive function and creativity using NIRS. He then moved stateside to Stanford University where he examined the effectiveness of exercise to improve brain function and symptoms in childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In 2019, Gavin was appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation.

Gavin's research spans three complementary approaches:

1) mechanistic studies using neuroimaging (fNIRS) to understand brain responses to exercise;

2) applied research monitoring health and behaviour in real-world ecological settings; and

3) public health research addressing the social determinants of physical activity and behaviour change in children, adults, and under-served communities.

Gavin leads the Physical Activity for Health Across the Lifespan Research Group at Northumbria University and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He supervises PhD students working across physical activity, cognition, nutrition, health and behaviour.

• Exercise neuroscience and psychophysiology (fNIRS, HRV)
• Affective and perceptual responses to exercise
• Cognitive function, brain health and physical activity
• Nutrition, hydration and cognitive performance
• Immersive technologies (virtual reality) and exercise
• Physical activity promotion in children and young people
• Social determinants of health and health equity
• Behaviour change theory and health behaviour