Amanda Gard

Not many people can say they started their working life in the Royal Navy! Before her studies, Amanda served for ten years, dedicating herself to a career of service and discipline. She then transitioned to a different chapter in her life as she became a mother to two boys. 

When her children grew older, Amanda, at 38, felt it was time for a change. She was running a photography business and working in an office, but she felt unfulfilled and knew she wanted to do more.  

Inspired by a colleague attending college, she began exploring her options and discovered Abertay’s AHEAD course — a free university access programme that, upon successful completion, guarantees a place on a range of Abertay undergraduate degrees. Recognising this as her opportunity for a fresh start, Amanda applied and was delighted to be accepted. 

After studying two nights a week for two semesters, Amanda completed the course and was accepted into the first year of Sports and Exercise Science in 2014. A memorable moment from those early days was when Dr Rhiannon Lord, Programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) Sport Development and Coaching degree, gave her one-on-one advice on essay writing.  

Amanda initially found academic writing challenging and doubted whether university was right for her, feeling a bit dejected at first. However, with encouraging support from Rhiannon, she persevered and ended up excelling at the course. 

Throughout her degree, Amanda’s curiosity deepened, particularly around health and wellbeing. Her research focused on promoting healthier, sustainable weight management among women, inspired by everyday conversations at bus stops where women shared their struggles with exercise and stigma, especially after becoming mothers.  

Her dedication paid off when she graduated with a first-class Honours degree in 2018. Inspired by her research findings, Amanda continued to explore this area further, pursuing a PhD to better understand the barriers women face to exercise, particularly relating to incontinence — a topic rarely addressed in existing studies. With support from her peers and Professor David Lavallee, she designed a pilot study that empowered women to take control of their exercise routines, focusing on their lived experiences and individual needs.  

Her achievement in securing funding from the Carnegie Trust for her PhD was a milestone — the first time someone from Abertay received this prestigious award — and it marked a turning point in her academic journey. 

Her research led to the development of comprehensive guidance for gyms, sports organisations, and healthcare providers to support women with incontinence in maintaining an active lifestyle. Amanda’s focus on mid-life women recognises this as a critical period for establishing healthy habits. Her work also includes a component on pelvic floor health, aiming to make exercise more accessible and stigma-free for women facing these challenges.     

Looking ahead, Amanda is eager to secure a fellowship or postdoctoral position to deepen her research. She remains passionate about improving women’s health and closing the research gap in this vital area.