Alastair Cox

New Visiting Professor joins the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, and the Sports Technology Institute

Loughborough University can announce that Alastair Cox has been appointed as Visiting Professor of ‘Sport Surface Innovation’ with the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering.

Professor Cox is a widely recognised industry global technical expert and has a track record of developing the testing and standards for improving the performance and quality of sport surfaces and sporting venues.

He advises and provides technical support to a range of international and domestic sport’s governing bodies, including UEFA, RFL and England Netball.

Prof Cox has also contributed to the development of standards by FIFA and World Rugby and has a role as Facilities & Quality Programme Manager for the FIH. He works closely with Sport England and the sport surface industry’s trade associations in the UK, Europe, and globally.

He is heavily involved in the UK and European BS EN standards’ committees and leading the industry’s response to new EC regulations for synthetic sports surfaces and their impact on the environment.

Professor Cox joins the University’s Sport Surfaces Research Group led by Professor Paul Fleming and Dr Steph Forrester at a significant time as this major global industry looks to make a step-change into more innovative and sustainable sport surface systems and related infrastructure.

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Cox said: “I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to Loughborough’s renowned research team over the next few years. We share the same passion and a similar vision for the research and innovations required to develop the very best sustainable sport surfaces for future generations to safely enjoy around the world.”

Professor Fleming added: “We are very thrilled by this appointment. Professor Cox’s broad role at Loughborough will help shape and support the growth of our research capabilities through strategic and impactful research and enterprise proposals, helping mobilise his global networks to support funding bids and further raising the group’s profile on the global stage.

“He will also contribute to our UG and PG taught modules (e.g. Sports Technology BEng & MSc, new for 2022), student research dissertations, and mentoring of our PGR and RA staff”.

For more information on Loughborough’s Sport Surfaces Research Group, click HERE.

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 21/219

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2021 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2022, and 10th in both the Guardian University League Table 2022 and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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