**About the Special Issue Editors**

**Eric Brymer**, associate professor. Eric Brymer specialises in the reciprocal nature of health and wellbeing in nature-based experiences and performance in extreme environments. Eric's expertise includes qualitative and mixed-method research design. He holds a Ph.D. in psychology and education, a master's degree in applied sport and exercise psychology, and postgraduate degrees in education and business. He has specialist interests in learning, exercise, and environmental, outdoor and adventure psychology. Eric works with and advises governments and institutional departments and collaborates with teams across the world. He also holds research positions in health, exercise and outdoor studies at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, Leeds Beckett University, and the University of Cumbria in the UK.

**John Allan**, senior lecturer. Dr John Allan is a psychologist focusing on sports pedagogy and adventure education. As an academic and outdoor practitioner, John leads undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in outdoor education. His area of research centres on positive psychology and resilience building through adventure and green space immersion. John has a great passion for the outdoors. He provided sports science support (psychological strength-based functioning) for the Everest West Ridge 2006 Expedition, has undertaken two trips to the Himalayas, and was deputy leader of a university staff/student expedition to the Everest region in 2009. He is an active member of both the Institute for Outdoor Learning and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). His research outputs include international and national journal publications, book chapters, a keynote address, conference symposiums and presentations.

**Ashley Hardwell**, senior lecturer. Dr Ashley Hardwell is a senior lecturer in physical education and outdoor education at the Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University. He specialises in the theoretical and practical delivery of outdoor modules. His research interests are fuelled by over forty years in the outdoors in a personal and professional capacity. Participation in outdoor and adventure activities can have a profound and personal impact on life, people and landscapes. How we embrace these changes—socially, culturally and environmentally—is the foundation of his teaching and research.

**Suzanne Peacock**, senior lecturer in outdoor education. Suzanne graduated with her first degree, in applied sport science and coaching with outdoor education, in 2005, before gaining a master of science in sport and exercise psychology from Leeds Beckett University in 2009. Following this, she remained at the university and completed her doctoral degree. Her Ph.D. explored the role of adapted sport and adventure training in the recovery of UK military personnel who are wounded (battle casualties), injured (non-battle casualties) or sick (physical/mental illness). Outside the university, Suzanne is an active person who loves to climb, mountain bike and ski.

**Melissa Hart**, senior lecturer. Melissa Hart is a senior lecturer in the Carnegie School of Education and course leader for the BA in primary education with QTS. Melissa Hart has a Ph.D. in the enactment of educational policy in academy schools and has recently worked on a consultancy project, evaluating the role of Lloyds Banking Group staff placed as governors in schools. Melissa enjoys challenging herself by climbing, ski mountaineering, running and cycling in multi-week adventures to remote locations around the world. In addition, having previously worked as the course leader for the BA in outdoor leadership at both the University of Central Lancashire and Cumbria University, a teacher of outdoor education and field studies, a freelance outdoor instructor and an expedition leader, Melissa's research interests lie in overseas expeditions and residential outdoor experiences and their role in learning about self and others. She was a technical expert for the generation of the National Occupational Standards in Expedition Leadership. Melissa's expertise includes post-modern qualitative methods of research design and the use of a Foucauldian theoretical lens.

**Chris Kay** is a senior research fellow with Carnegie Great Outdoors. He predominantly works with wounded, injured and sick military personnel at the Battle Back Centre. This work is delivered and studied by our staff on behalf of the Royal British Legion. At the Battle Back Centre, week-long courses are delivered, which encompass adaptive adventurous training and personal development for military personnel who are recovering from injury or illness. Chris's research explores how participation in structured, adapted outdoor and adventurous activities helps facilitate recovery, personal growth and aspects of psychological and physiological wellbeing. Chris is a neurobiologist, and alongside his scientific career he has worked professionally as a rock climbing, mountaineering, kayaking and mountain biking instructor since 2007.

**Michelle Dillon**, senior lecturer. Michelle Dillon is a senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, UK. Michelle's research interests surround the teaching and learning of outdoor and adventure education. Michelle's Ph.D. investigated student teachers' learning to teach when delivering an outdoor and adventure education programme as part of a physical education (PE) curriculum. Prior to academia, Michelle worked in the outdoor industry as an instructor, manager and business proprietor. Michelle regularly reviews for academic journals and collaborates on education, outdoor and adventure education issues in an international capacity.
