Role
Simon is Professor of Physical Activity and Health, in the Department of Sport Science at Nottingham Trent University.
Prof. Cooper is Head of the Children and Young People Research Theme, within the SHAPE Research Centre. His research focuses primarily on the effects of physical activity on cognitive function and cardiometabolic health in young people, alongside more broad research interests examining the psychophysiology of sport and physical activity and injury and illness surveillance in elite sport.
Prof. Cooper is also Chair of the Human Invasive Ethics Committee at Nottingham Trent University.
Career overview
Simon completed a BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science (2008) and PhD (2011) at Loughborough University, before joining NTU as a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology in 2011. Simon was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2016, Associate Professor in 2019 and Professor in 2023.
Research areas
Prof Cooper is a member of the Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) Research Centre. His research interests include:
- The factors affecting cognitive function in young people, with a focus on the role of physical activity. Work is continuing to examine the optimum modality, intensity and duration of exercise to optimise cognition in young people; particularly young people living with socioeconomic disadvantage
- Examining the effects of physical activity in young people with neurodevelopmental conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- The effects of physical activity on cardiometabolic health in young people
- Exercise in the heat and neuromuscular and cognitive function
- The reciprocal relationship between self-control and physical activity/sporting performance
- Injury and illness surveillance and monitoring in elite sport
- More broadly, the effect of team games on young athletes
Current PhD students under supervision as Director of Studies include:
- Luke Gilbert: Evaluating the role of Physical Education in enhancing cognitive function and health in young people
- Elise Sibbick: Using physical activity to enhance cognitive function, self-control and resilience in young people with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Students recently supervised to PhD completion include:
- Raymon Hunte (2019-2022): Self-control depletion and exercise performance: mechanisms of the effect
- Lorna Hatch (2018-2021): Physical activity and cognitive function in young people: the key moderating variables and a spotlight on The Daily Mile intervention
- Ryan Williams (2017-2021). The influence of team games on cardiometabolic health and cognitive function in young people.
- Ben Cousins (2016-2020). Examining the demands and load of elite Rugby Union: influence on time-loss incidence occurrence and severity.
- Karah Dring (2015-2020). Effects of exercise training on adolescent cardiometabolic health and performance.
- Rachel Malcolm (2013-2018). The effect of heat exposure and intermittent exercise on neuromuscular and cognitive function
- Daniel Martin (2013-2018). The effect of reproductive hormones and energy availability on muscle function, cognition and bone metabolism in females
Opportunities to carry out postgraduate research towards an MPhil / PhD are available in the areas identified above. Further information may be obtained from the NTU Doctoral School.
External activity
In 2019, Prof. Cooper took up the position of Visiting Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education at The Education University of Hong Kong.
Reviewer activity:
Prof. Cooper has reviewed for a wide range of sport science (and related) journals, spanning his research interests. Dr Cooper has also acted as a grant reviewer for the British Heart Foundation, UKRI (Medical Research Council), The Waterloo Foundation and DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft).
Other external activity:
Prof. Cooper has acted as a consultant for a number of external organisations, including BBC Supermovers. Prof. Cooper is also a member of The Daily Mile Research Advisory Group and Nottingham City Council Eating and Moving for Good Health steering group. Prof. Cooper also regularly contributes to the Youth Sport Trust research insight events.
Consultancy:
Prof. Cooper is keen to combine his expertise and experiences in sport science with his passion for cricket, particularly cricket officiating. Any opportunities to work in this domain are very welcome.
Professional affiliations:
- American College of Sports Medicine
- British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES)
- European College of Sport Sciences (ECSS)
Sponsors and collaborators
Prof. Cooper collaborates with a number of external organisations, including on funded projects. Some examples of collaborating organisations include:
- The Rosetrees Trust
- Education Endowment Foundation
- The Football Association (FA)
- The Waterloo Foundation
- The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre
- Nottingham City Council Eating and Moving for Good Health steering group
- Nottingham City Care Partnerships / Small Steps Big Change (SSBC)
- The Daily Mile Foundation
- Youth Sport Trust
Publications
Selected Recent Publications:
WALTERS, G.W., TAYLOR, S., SWEENEY, E.L., COOPER, S.B., WILLIAMS, R.A. and DRING, K.J., 2024. Effect of an acute bout of exercise on executive function and sleep in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 27: 100624. ISSN 1755-2966
SIBBICK, E., BOAT, R., SARKAR, M., JOHNSTON, J.P., GROOM, M., WILLIAMS, R.A., DRING, K.J., SUN, F.-H. and COOPER, S.B., 2024. Associations of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness with cognitive function, self-control, and resilience in young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Advanced Exercise and Health Science, 1 (1), pp. 51-58. ISSN 2950-273X
WALTERS, G.W.M., DRING, K.J., NEVILL, B.A., COOPER, S.B., NEVILL, A.M., NEVILL, M.E. and MORRIS, J.G., 2023. Short-term high-intensity rowing ergometry training improves rowing performance equally in healthy weight and obese adolescents. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. ISSN 1530-0315
GILBERT, L.M., DRING, K.J., WILLIAMS, R.A., BOAT, R., SUNDERLAND, C., MORRIS, J.G., NEVILL, M.E. and COOPER, S.B., 2023. Effects of a games-based physical education lesson on cognitive function in adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 14: 1098861. ISSN 1664-1078
HUNTE, R., COOPER, S.B., TAYLOR, I.M., NEVILL, M.E. and BOAT, R., 2022. Boredom, motivation, and perceptions of pain: mechanisms to explain the effects of self-control exertion on subsequent physical performance. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 63: 102265. ISSN 1469-0292
MAGISTRO, D., COOPER, S.B., CARLEVARO, F., MARCHETTI, I., MAGNO, F., BARDAGLIO, G. and MUSELLA, G., 2022. Two years of physically active mathematics lessons enhance cognitive function and gross motor skills in primary school children. Psychology of Sport and Exercise: 102254. ISSN 1469-0292
SIBBICK, E., BOAT, R., SARKAR, M., GROOM, M. and COOPER, S.B., 2022. Acute effects of physical activity on cognitive function in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 23: 100469. ISSN 1755-2966
BOAT, R., WILLIAMS, R.A., DRING, K.J., MORRIS, J.G., SUNDERLAND, C., NEVILL, M.E. and COOPER, S.B., 2022. Associations of self-control with physical activity, physical fitness, and adiposity in adolescents. Behavioral Medicine. ISSN 0896-4289
DRING, K.J., HATCH, L.A., WILLIAMS, R.A., MORRIS, J.G., SUNDERLAND, C., NEVILL, M.E. and COOPER, S.B., 2022. Effect of 5-weeks participation in The Daily Mile on cognitive function, physical fitness, and body composition in children. Scientific Reports, 12: 14309. ISSN 2045-2322
ZHU, Y., SUN, F., CHOW, G.C.C., TAO, S., COOPER, S.B., ZHANG, B. and WONG, T.W.L., 2022. Associations of device-measured physical activity, sedentary behavior, and executive function in preadolescents: a latent profile approach. Pediatric Exercise Science. ISSN 0899-8493
SUN, F., CHOW, G.C.-C., YU, C.C.-W., HO, Y.-F., LIU, D., WONG, S.H.-S., SIU, P.M.-F., COOPER, S.B. and JENKINS, D., 2022. Effect of game-based high-intensity interval training program on the executive function of children with ADHD: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE, 17 (7): e0272121.
WILLIAMS, R.A., COOPER, S.B., DRING, K.J., HATCH, L., MORRIS, J.G., SUN, F.-H. and NEVILL, M.E., 2022. Physical fitness, physical activity and adiposity: associations with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease and cognitive function across adolescence. BMC Pediatrics, 22: 75. ISSN 1471-2431
HUNTE, R., COOPER, S.B., TAYLOR, I.M., NEVILL, M.E. and BOAT, R., 2021. The mechanisms underpinning the effects of self-control exertion on subsequent physical performance: a meta-analysis. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. ISSN 1750-984X
HATCH, L.M., WILLIAMS, R.A., DRING, K.J., SUNDERLAND, C., NEVILL, M.E., SARKAR, M., MORRIS, J.G. and COOPER, S.B., 2021. The Daily Mile™: acute effects on children’s cognitive function and factors affecting their enjoyment. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 57: 102047. ISSN 1469-0292
COUSINS, B.E.W., MORRIS, J.G., SUNDERLAND, C., BENNETT, A.M., SHAHTAHMASSEBI, G. and COOPER, S.B., 2021. Synthetic playing surfaces increase the incidence of match injuries in an elite Rugby Union team. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. ISSN 1440-2440
MALCOLM, R., COOPER, S., FOLLAND, J., HANNAH, R., TYLER, C. and SUNDERLAND, C., 2021. Reliability of transcranial magnetic stimulation measurements of maximum activation of the knee extensors in young adult males. Human Movement Science, 78: 102828. ISSN 0167-9457
HATCH, L.M., WILLIAMS, R.A., DRING, K.J., SUNDERLAND, C., NEVILL, M.E. and COOPER, S.B., 2021. Activity patterns of primary school children during participation in The Daily Mile. Scientific Reports, 11: 7462. ISSN 2045-2322
For a full list, please click below.
Press expertise
- Physical activity and cognitive function in young people
- Physical activity and cardiometabolic health in young people