news@lboro (2009)
2012
Dr Louisa Webb
January 26, 2012
It is with greatest sadness to announce that academic and Telford Hall Warden Dr Louisa Webb passed away Friday January 20 after a long illness.
Louisa Webb was appointed to the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences (now named the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences) in 2004, to join the long established and highly successful Teacher Education and physical education and sport pedagogy (PESP) research and teaching group. Louisa arrived with impeccable credentials and great potential. Originally from Australia, Louisa had worked as a high school physical education teacher and then a Physical Education teacher educator at Griffith University and the University of Queensland while completing a Master of Education and PhD. Indeed, her experience of school teaching was to underscore everything that Louisa did. It fired her enthusiasm for research, her unwavering dedication to issues of social justice and equity, and her quest to improve the lives of teachers and children in schools. Her research interests centred on gender equity and leadership, and on innovative pedagogies such as Teaching Games for Understanding and Sport Education and the use of ICT to support the assessment of these pedagogies. Louisa was published in some of the very best journals in her field; her papers were always expressions of her passion for critical reflection and desire to enhance the knowledge base of Physical Education. A tragedy, indeed, that at a time when she was becoming most productive, her scholarship was tragically cut short.
Louisa was much loved and admired by those who shared her interests in and enthusiasms for debate and critical reflection. Prior to Loughborough, from 2001-2004, Louisa was an Assistant Professor in Physical Education Teacher Education at San Francisco State University, during which time she received an Excellence in Teaching Award. She loved the company of others, and collaboration with teachers and fellow scholars in the field of PESP was her trademark approach to research. At Queensland and subsequently at Loughborough, Louisa forged deep and enduring friendships with very many pedagogues in the PESP community internationally.
At Loughborough, Louisa quickly became a key member of the PESP research community. She retained her commitments to Teacher Education and teaching while becoming increasingly active in PESP research, collaborating with teachers, PGCE and Masters students and fellow researchers in the UK and elsewhere. She was instrumental in helping teachers to present at national conferences, which was tremendous professional development for them. She was excited about the development of the School’s new Masters programmes in Teacher Education and Coaching and was keen to assist in their further development and to encourage our trainee teachers to pursue further study to enhance their teaching and pupil learning. Most recently, Louisa was instrumental in cultivating new research relationships with leading scholars in pedagogy in Sweden. She took delight in working with Professor Mikael Quennerstedt and colleagues at Orebro University, and in her associations with Hakan Larson and colleagues at Stockholm University. In bringing these colleagues to Loughborough, Louisa greatly enriched the School’s research environment, forging relationships which will long endure. For good reason Louisa was a much admired and highly respected colleague in both the School and wider international PESP community. She was a significant presence at ACHPER, AIESEP, British, Australian and American Educational Research Association conferences, the main outlets for her work.
To the very end, indeed, but days before her passing, Louisa still displayed her passion for Education and commitment to helping students. Despite weakness and rapidly failing health, with her dear friend and colleague Dr Emma Rich, she was instrumental in helping full time student Erin Miniotis' bring her PhD to successful completion.
All who knew Louisa loved her quirky characteristics, her passion for her subject and courage in taking on sometimes difficult issues around gender, leadership and innovation. Our memories of Louisa are many and invariably uplifting. High amongst them, her enthusiasm for debate and critical enquiry, her demonstrable showing of delight or disdain for the opinions of visiting speakers, her constant nibbling (of chocolate buttons), her care for students and her unfailing desire to retain Physical Education where it belonged as a flagship discipline in a Loughborough University curriculum. She was always in the lead of staff sports get-togethers including the rather infamous 'women's football' within the School. She brought an energy to the School and was instrumental in developing collegiality through her fondness of being with other people and welcoming visitors into the Loughborough experience. She was admired by the student community and embraced all that Loughborough stood for, giving a great deal of time and energy (beyond the call of duty) as a warden of Telford Hall.
Friends, colleagues and associates in the School and wider international PESP community extend their thoughts and condolences to Louisa’s husband Nathan, parents Lola and Ian, brother Ken and the wider family at this very difficult time. We mourn Louisa’s passing but celebrate her considerable achievements in Education and thank her for the very many different ways in which she touched and enriched our lives.
Friends and Colleagues of the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences and international PESP community
A funeral service for Louisa will take place at Emmanuel Parish Church, Forest Road on Wednesday 1st February at 12.00pm and all are welcome to attend.
A ‘Book of Remembrance’ has also been set up in the University Chapel (B009, Brockington building) and is available for anyone to write their thoughts of Louisa or to offer their condolences to Nathan, Louisa’s husband,and other members of Louisa’s family.