Taylor Hooton Foundation > Hoot’s Corner > Podcasts > Episode 54: From Student to Scientist – Rebecca Randell, Ph. D & Bridget Sopeña, M.S.
October 22, 2021
Episode 54: From Student to Scientist – Rebecca Randell, Ph. D & Bridget Sopeña, M.S.

The ALL ME® Podcast

From Student to Scientist

Have you ever wondered what the life is like for a scientist, especially those who test athletes for various measures of performance? Furthermore, what steps do you need to take to get to that level? Whether it’s testing an NFL player’s sweat to see if they have enough electrolytes or trying to determine the correct carbohydrate solution to refuel an NBA player after an exhaustive first half, those are the types of studies conducted at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI).

In this podcast, Dr Rebecca Randell, Bridget Sopeña and I discuss their path towards being a scientist at the GSSI, the educational direction they took, and the challenges they faced along the way. We’ll also dive into the significance of a mentorship/mentee relationship and why it played a critical role in their development as scientists.

Rebecca Randell, Ph.D., Dr Rebecca Randell is an Associate Principal Scientist at GSSI and a visiting fellow at Loughborough University, UK. Rebecca earned her bachelor’s degree and her PhD from the University of Birmingham UK, under the supervision of Professor Asker Jeukendrup. Rebecca has been at GSSI for nine years where she has managed and supported GSSI service and education engagements in Latin America, Asia and Europe. Currently, Rebecca is working in the Sport Science Application team. In addition, Rebecca has extensive experience working with elite athletes and clubs such as FC Barcelona, Manchester City FC and PV Sindhu. She continues to author publications in peer reviewed journals and deliver invited presentations in the UK and abroad.

Bridget Sopeña, M.S., is a Senior Scientist who has been with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute since 2014 and is stationed at the headquarter lab in Barrington, IL. Her main responsibilities include leading US and Canada GSSI Athlete Service Programs and has spearheaded GSSI’s Elite Recovery Program. As an athlete service lead, she evaluates elite athletes in their field of play and educates them or their respective practitioners on their individual physiological, hydration, and sports nutrition needs. Within the recovery program, she has done extensive research on athlete monitoring solutions and has championed salivary analysis as a novel athlete assessment. She has extensive experience working with elite team sport practitioners and athletes within the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NWSL.

Resource Definitions and Links:

  • Join Gatorade Performance Partner, the first multi-disciplinary community of sports performance professionals. You’ll get access to exclusive benefits like complimentary CEUs, science-backed resources, and opportunities to discover all the latest that Gatorade has to offer. Join the community at GatoradePerformancePartner.com
  • Founded in 1985, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) is committed to helping athletes optimize their health and performance through research and education in hydration and nutrition science. Learn more at GSSIweb.org

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