By Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr

Alex joined the University of Portsmouth in 2005 as an Undergraduate student in Sport and Exercise Science persuaded by the enthusiasm of Dr Neil Weston and completed her dissertation with Neil in the area of sports psychology.  However, towards the end of her time as an undergraduate Alex volunteered as a participant for studies in breast biomechanics developing a good understanding of the biomechanical challenges that women face in a sporting setting.  After completing her undergraduate studies in 2007, based on her passion for understanding things, she embarked on an MSc in Sports Performance at Portsmouth.  Driven by role models such as Dr Jenny Burbage and based on her desire to help others, Alex focused her Masters in the area of breast biomechanics, finishing in 2009.  Alex was a thorough, conscientious scientist who wasn’t prepared to compromise.  Based on this Alex seemed the perfect PhD candidate.  Alex began her PhD in the Research Group in Breast Health in 2009 under the supervision of Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, Dr Chris Mills and Dr Jo Corbett; the start of a highly successful career in biomechanics.  Alex completed her PhD in 2013, after which she continued with the Research Group as a post doc and then a Senior Research Associate.  Alex was a fantastic team player and this was evident in her prolific sporting career and in her professional career.  Alex represented the University at international conferences (ISBS x 3), and national conferences and exhibitions (BASES, BIG, MODA).  Alex won the award for Best Student Oral Presentation at the BASES BIG event in 2014.  Alex had an impressive publication record and generated income for the University as a Principal Investigator, building her own relationships with funders. During her professional career at the University of Portsmouth Alex taught and inspired others to become passionate about science.

But for me, one of the qualities I admired most in Alex’s was her integrity.  Alex demonstrated integrity in everything she did, from sport, to relationships, to work.  As a scientist, scientific integrity is the foundation of everything we do, from transparency in participant recruitment, data collection, analysis and presenting findings.  We all know that statistics can be manipulated, data removed, positive findings presented ahead or instead of negative findings, but scientific integrity should underpin everything we do as scientists.  Alex was one of the most honest, meticulous, conscientious scientists I have ever had the pleasure of working with.  She wouldn’t let anything go.  She double, triple checked everything and was not under any circumstances prepared to lower her standards or compromise.  For example, after years of data collection for her PhD, she scrapped the data and started again.  I learnt a lot from Alex.  There is no right or wrong answer in science, there is only evidence, her approach enabled the systematic, logical progression of knowledge in breast biomechanics for which she leaves a great legacy.  Alex was an honest, open, warm, considerate, beautiful, person and science is a poorer place without her.

This is part of her impressive CV

PhD Thesis Title:

THE EFFECT OF BREAST SUPPORT ON RUNNING BIOMECHANICS

Conference presentations

Mills, C., Loveridge, A., Milligan, A. and Scurr, J. (2015). Trunk reference frames and the calculation of trunk and breast kinematics in human movement analysis. In Proceedings of 25th Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Glasgow, UK.

Brown, N., White, J., Milligan, A., Risius, D., Ayres, B., Hedger, W. and Scurr, J. (2013). Limitations of clinical selection criteria for mammoplasty. In Proceedings of Evidence Live, Oxford, UK. 

Milligan, A., Mills, C. and Scurr, J. (2014). Breast support performance during short and prolonged running. In Proceedings of the 32nd Conference of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, Jacksonville, USA. 

Risius, D., Milligan, A., Mills, C. and Scurr, J. (2013). A biomechanical assessment of breast kinematics during different exercise modalities. In Proceedings of the American Society of Biomechanics, Nebraska, USA.

Scurr, J., White, J., Milligan, A., Risius, D. and Hedger, W. (2011).  Breast extension during treadmill running: a case study.  In Proceedings of the 16th Annual Congress of the ECSS, Liverpool, UK. Pp.468.

Brown, N., White, J., Milligan, A., Risius, D. and Scurr, J. (2011).  The influence of anthropometric measures on three-dimensional breast kinematics.  In Proceedings of the 16th Annual Congress of the ECSS, Liverpool, UK. Pp.467.

Risius, D., Milligan, A., Ayres, B. and Scurr, J. (2011).  An investigation of the relationship between breast kinematics and subjective ratings of breast support during treadmill activity.  In Proceedings of the BASES Annual Conference, Essex, UK. Pp.73.

Milligan, A., Scurr, J., Mills, C. and Wood, L. (2011). An investigation into the within and between participant variance in three-dimensional breast kinematic data during a 5 km run. In Proceedings of the 29th Conference of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, Porto, Portugal.

Scurr, J., White, J., Milligan A., Risius, D. and Hedger, W. (2011). Vertical breast extension during treadmill running. In Proceedings of the 29th Conference of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, Porto, Portugal.

Milligan, A. (2013). The effect of breast support on upper body muscle activity during a five kilometre treadmill run. University of Portsmouth and University of Chichester Postgraduate Research Conference, 6th June 2013.

Milligan, A. (2013). The effect of breast support on thorax kinematics during a five kilometre treadmill run. BASES Biomechanics Interest Group, 4th April 2013, University of Wolverhampton.  

Milligan, A. (2012). The effect of breast support on multiplanar breast kinematics during a five kilometre treadmill run. University of Chichester and University of Portsmouth Postgraduate Research Conference, 18th June 2012.

Milligan, A., Hedger, W., & Scurr, J. (2010). Changes in static breast position post-exercise, in two breast support conditions. BASES Annual Conference, University of Glasgow, September 2010, Journal of Sports Sciences. 28, S137.

Awards

Awarded the British Association of Sport Science (BASES) Biomechanics Interest Group (BIG) best student oral presentation, University of Wolverhampton, April 4th 2013.

Publications

  1. Risius, D., Milligan, A., Berns, J., Brown, N., and Scurr, J. (2017). Understanding key performance indicators for breast support: An analysis of breast support effects on biomechanical, physiological and subjective measures during running.  Journal of Sports Sciences. 35(9), 842-851. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1194523.
  2. Mills, C., Loveridge, A., Milligan, A., and Scurr, J. (2016).  Trunk marker sets and subsequent calculation of trunk and breast kinematics during treadmill running.  Textile Research Journal. 86(11), 1128-1136.
  3. Milligan, A., Mills, C., Corbett, J., and Scurr, J. (2015). The influence of breast support on torso, pelvis, and upper arm kinematics during a five kilometre treadmill run.  Human Movement Science. 42, 246-260.
  4. Milligan, A., Mills, C., Corbett, J. and Scurr, J. (2015).  Magnitude of multiplanar breast kinematics differs depending upon run distance.  Journal of Sports Science. 33(19), 2025-2034.  DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2015.1026376.
  5. Risius, D., Milligan, A., Mills, C. and Scurr, J. (2015). Multiplanar breast kinematics during different exercise modalities. European Journal of Sports Science. 15:2, 111-117. DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2014.928914
  6. Milligan, A., Mills, C. and Scurr, J. (2014). The effect of breast support on upper body muscle activity during 5 km treadmill running.  Human Movement Science. 38, 74-83
  7. Mills, C., Loveridge, A., Milligan, A., Risius, D. and Scurr, J. (2014).  Is torso soft tissue motion really an artefact within breast biomechanics research? Journal of Biomechanics. 47(11), 2606-2610. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2014.05.023
  8. Mills, C., Loveridge, A., Milligan, A., Risius, D. and Scurr, J. (2014). Can axes conventions of the trunk reference frame influence breast displacement calculation during running.  Journal of Biomechanics. 47, 575-578.
  9. Milligan, A., Mills, C. and Scurr, J. (2014). Within participant variance in multiplanar breast kinematics during five kilometre treadmill running.  Journal of Applied Biomechanics. 30(2), 244-249.
  10. Haake, S., Milligan, A., and Scurr, J. (2012). Can measures of strain and acceleration be used to predict breast discomfort during running? Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. 227(3), 209-216. DOI: 10.1177/1754337112456799.
  11. Wood, L., White, J., Milligan, A., Ayres, B., Hedger, W. and Scurr, J. (2012).  Predictors of three dimensional breast kinematics during bare-breasted running.  Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. 44(7), 1351-1357.
  12. Brown, N., White, J., Milligan, A., Risius, D., Ayres, B., Hedger, W. and Scurr,J. (2012).  The relationship between breast size and anthropometric characteristics.   American Journal of Human Biology. 24(2), 158-164.