Dr Gavin Tempest

Assistant Professor

School: Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation

Gavin completed his PhD training at the University of South Australia which examined the neural basis of affective responses during exercise using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS; a non-invasive neuroimaging technique). He completed his initial postdoctoral training at Tomsk State University (Russia) and then escaped the Siberian winter to thaw out at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis on the French Riviera. His postdoc work examined the effects of exercise upon cognitive function and creativity using NIRS. He then moved stateside to Stanford University where he examined the effectiveness of exercise to improve brain function and symptoms in childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In 2019, Gavin was appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation.

Gavin's research spans three complementary approaches:

1) mechanistic studies using neuroimaging (fNIRS) to understand brain responses to exercise;

2) applied research monitoring health and behaviour in real-world ecological settings; and

3) public health research addressing the social determinants of physical activity and behaviour change in children, adults, and under-served communities.

Gavin leads the Physical Activity for Health Across the Lifespan Research Group at Northumbria University and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He supervises PhD students working across physical activity, cognition, nutrition, health and behaviour.

Email Gavin

Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Exercise neuroscience and psychophysiology (fNIRS, HRV)
Affective and perceptual responses to exercise
Cognitive function, brain health and physical activity
Nutrition, hydration and cognitive performance
Immersive technologies (virtual reality) and exercise
Physical activity promotion in children and young people
Social determinants of health and health equity
Behaviour change theory and health behaviour

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Game on, grades up? Effects of a teacher- and pupil-informed physical activity break on executive function and behaviour in children, Dixon, S., Hettinga, F., McCullogh, N., Tempest, G. 16 Feb 2026, In: Journal of Sports Sciences
Quantifying the effect of Behaviour Self-regulation on well-being through causal analysis: A methodological framework for longitudinal health data, Wang, J., Wang, P., Woo, W., Sakalidis, K., Hettinga, F., Rodrigues, A., Dawes, H., Tempest, G. 1 Feb 2026, In: Journal of Biomedical Informatics
Teachers’ perspectives on barriers and motivators to physical activity participation in children from ethnic minority groups in Newcastle upon Tyne: A qualitative study, Omojor-Oche, J., Tempest, G., Hettinga, F., Sakalidis, K. 5 Feb 2026, In: PLoS One
The impact of natural and urban environmental settings on exercise and perceptual responses during virtual reality-based exercise, Festino, E., Papale, O., Cortis, C., Fusco, A., Hibbs, A., Khudair, M., Sakalidis, K., Barry, G., Hettinga, F., Tempest, G. 17 Mar 2026, In: Frontiers in Psychology
A qualitative analysis of perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity in children from ethnic minority groups and white British children, Omojor-Oche, J., Tempest, G., Hettinga, F., McCullogh, N. 27 May 2025, In: PLoS One
DE-PASS Best Evidence Statement (BESt): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Effectiveness of Trials on Device-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour and Their Determinants in Children Aged 5-12 Years, Khudair, M., Marcuzzi, A., Tempest, G., Ng, K., Peric, R., Bartoš, F., Maier, M., Brandes, M., Carlin, A., Ciaccioni, S., Cortis, C., Corvino, C., di Credico, A., Drid, P., Gallè, F., Izzicupo, P., Jahre, H., Kolovelonis, A., Kongsvold, A., Kouidi, E., Mork, P., Palumbo, F., Rumbold, P., Sandu, P., Stavnsbo, M., Syrmpas, I., Vilela, S., Woods, C., Wunsch, K., Capranica, L., MacDonncha, C., Ling, F. 1 Feb 2025, In: Sports Medicine
Exploring the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between cognitive function and exercise performance, Angius, L., Staiano, W., Tempest, G. 12 Jun 2025, Sport and Exercise Psychophysiology, Cham, Switzerland, Springer
Hydration, mood, and cognition in primary school aged children in the United Kingdom, Roberts, C., Boak, K., McCullogh, N., Brownlee, I., Haskell, C., James, L., Green, B., Tempest, G., Bruce-Martin, C., Rumbold, P. 1 Dec 2025, In: Physiology and Behavior
The impact of an acute bout of physical activity on executive function and academic achievement in preadolescent children: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Dixon, S., Tempest, G., Hettinga, F., Khudair, M., McCullogh, N. 2025, In: Mental Health and Physical Activity
Uncovering the roles of automatic attitudes and controlled processes in the regulation of physical activity behavior in children, Khudair, M., Cheval, B., Chun Man Ling, F., Hettinga, F., Tempest, G. 1 Jan 2025, In: Psychology of Sport and Exercise

PGR Supervision

Joyce Omojor-Oche Addressing health inequality and wellbeing through physical activity; Identifying barriers and motivators to uptake of PA in children from ethnic minority groups. Start Date: 18/12/2025
Charlie Ward Affective States and Physical Activity Behaviour in Low-Active Adults Start Date: 01/10/2025
Amelie Leach How Does Physical Activity Protect Against Stress? Examining Recovery Mechanisms Across Brain, Heart, Vascular, and Affective Systems Start Date: 01/10/2025