Professor Tim Rees
British psychologist, researcher, and Professor at Bournemouth University, specialising in behaviour change, group processes, and human performance.
I’m a Professor at Bournemouth University, a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), and an Accredited Sport & Exercise Scientist with the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES).
My research explores how social relationships and group processes influence health, motivation and performance, and how psychological science can be translated into practical interventions that improve people’s lives.
Current work: behaviour change, groups and rehabilitation
My current work focuses on helping health and exercise professionals design and deliver effective group-based rehabilitation and physical activity programmes. I’m Principal Investigator of Group Works®, a UKRI-funded innovation project developing evidence-based training to help professionals create groups that people want to join, belong to and keep coming back to.
Find out about the Group Works project at Bournemouth University
Elite performance and talent development
Earlier in my career, much of my research focused on elite performance and talent development, including the social and psychological factors underpinning Olympic success and long-term excellence.
My work on British Olympic medallists contributed to our understanding of talent development and challenged some widely held assumptions about how sporting expertise develops.
Research and impact
Over more than two decades, I’ve secured or contributed to more than £2 million in competitive research funding, working with organisations including UKRI, ESRC, NIHR, the International Olympic Committee, UK Sport and national governing bodies.
My research and commentary have been featured by the BBC, The Guardian, The Times, Psychology Today, Huffington Post, US National Public Radio and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Explore my research Media & Press
Professional credentials
Professor, Bournemouth University
School of Allied Health and Exercise Science
BU profile
Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) & Associate Fellow
British Psychological Society
BPS Directory
Accredited Sport & Exercise Scientist
Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES)
CASES Regulated Member Directory
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Selected funded projects
Group Works® — UKRI Proof-of-Concept Award
Principal Investigator
Developing evidence-based training for professionals delivering group-based rehabilitation and physical activity.
View UKRI Proof-of-Concept announcement →
Community-based group exercise — UKRI/National Academy of Medicine Catalyst Award
Principal Investigator
Developing a toolkit to support health professionals in building community-based group exercise programmes for older people with chronic conditions.
UKRI project → | National Academy of Medicine project →
CLEAT — NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Award
Co-Investigator
A multicentre randomised controlled trial evaluating cycling and education for people with hip osteoarthritis.
View NIHR project →
Research profile
Google Scholar
H-index 40 · i10-index 63 · 7,000+ citations
View Google Scholar profile →
ORCID
Researcher identifier and research profile
View ORCID profile →
Scopus
Author and publication profile
View Scopus profile →
AD Scientific Index
Currently ranked in the 96th percentile in my field and top 6.5% worldwide by H-index in the AD Scientific Index.
View AD Scientific Index profile →
Translating research into practice
Beyond academia, I enjoy translating research into practical ideas through speaking, consulting, writing and video. Whether I’m working with clinicians, coaches, organisations or students, the underlying question is much the same: why do people change, perform and flourish — and how can we use that knowledge in the real world?
