About us

What we do

FIAS (Fostering Inclusive Action Sport) is a research and impact project from the University of Bristol. Our mission is to understand and address gender inequality in action sports, specialising in mountain biking. Watch the FIAS film to find out why we are so passionate about combating gender inequality! The FIAS team conducts rigorous research, develops evidence-based impact tools, and works with a range of stakeholders to drive gender progress in action sports cultures.

FIAS Resources

We co-create frameworks and tools with stakeholders from industry, policy and grassroots organisations. Find out about our range of free, downloadable tools here

Our Research

We conduct rigorous, mixed-method research into action sports participation. You can read our published research here.

Working in collaboration

We secure funding to work on bespoke, collaborative projects embedding FIAS insights and frameworks into organisational strategy. Read out about work with MB Wales here, and Forestry England here.

Consultancy

We deliver a range of workshops based on FIAS research and impact tools to organisations in industry, charity and public sectors. Find out about these workshops here.

Our team

Dr Fiona Spotswood –
*Associate Professor in Marketing and Consumption*

Read Fiona’s bio

Fiona is Associate Professor in Marketing and Consumption at the University of Bristol Business School. She researches the consumption of sport and physical activity, focusing on excluded communities and mechanisms for social change. She is particularly interested in the intersection of marketing, media and marginalisation in sport.

What is your specialism?

“I bring passion and personal experience to the table. Mountain biking brings me immense joy and I’m committed to understand how we can open mountain biking and other sports to more people.“

Martin Hurcombe –
Professor of French Studies

Read Martin’s bio:

Martin Hurcombe is Professor of French Studies. He is the author of three books on the intellectual history of early twentieth-century France and is an expert on reportage and the development of the sports press. His current work explores the history of road cycling in France through its relationship to print media, tracking this through cycling magazines of the late nineteenth century to investigative journalism on the Festina and Armstrong Affairs.

Hetty Kingston –
Independent outdoor adventure sport inclusivity researcher and consultant

Read Hetty’s bio

Hetty runs her own independent business specialising in research and event organisation, with a particular focus on diversity, participation, and sustainability. Her work explores these themes in depth and then translates findings into practical action. With a strong eye for detail, a love of logistics and spreadsheets, she is committed to building communities from the ground up.

Dr Maria Moxley –
*Senior Research Associate*

Read Maria’s bio

Maria is a Senior Research Associate in the Marketing and Consumption department at the University of Bristol. Maria’s background is in Sport and Sociology and has researched sport subcultures focusing on inclusion, belonging and social practices. She is interested in critically examining the culture of sport, and the role it plays in society, both in terms of its potential to foster positive social change and its capacity to reinforce exclusion.