Ellie Catlin
PhD on competitive balance in rugby union

The idea behind my research is that every team or player in every game should have a 50-50 chance of winning, but in sport now that’s not the case. So I’m measuring that balance or imbalance, using 20 years of points and scores. I want to go to the rugby governing body and say, ‘This is what’s happening, and these are the policy implications.’

By the time I finish I’ll have a PhD and the experience to pursue a career as a lecturer if I want to.

There’s no way I could do it without the funding. I came from a full-time job in a high-end organisation, and to give that up I needed the support.

It also meant I could be independent and rely on myself. I’m the type of person who needs to grow and challenge myself, and this research has given me the opportunity to do that.