Michael Plyley
Faculty: Applied Health Sciences- Brock University
Title: Professor
CSEP member:
since 1978
What do you wish you had known when you were in graduate school?
-
How useful the other faculty members on my
Advisory Committee could be, so that I could have taken advantage of their
respective backgrounds, expertise, and experience.
- What opportunities existed within the
Department, the Faculty, and across the University for me to gain knowledge and
experience beyond conducting research and writing grants and papers.
- How knowledgeable and useful the Librarians are
in terms of literature research, use of copy-written material, and presentation
of organized materials.
What information/ advice did you learn in graduate school that has been most influential?
- The critical role that patience has in research;
- Appreciating the usefulness and potential
strength of graphical analysis in revealing physiological and anatomical
connections and integrated responses;
- Understanding the meaning and efficacy of using
mathematical analysis and curve fitting to ascertain relationships between
variables – beyond simple linear regression;
- The importance of taking criticism – in any
form, to improve one’s thinking, writing, and overall development; this is an
area that many students, and faculty, fail to use to help their development as
they rail against the individuals and/or the manner by which the criticism was
delivered rather than taking advantage of, and benefiting from, what is being
conveyed.
Where do you think exercise physiology graduates are most needed?
The training that graduate students get within their degree
programs, and the opportunities that now exist to develop and hone various
“professional” skills and competencies, provide students with all the tools to
be successful in many areas of society, whether that be in academic areas,
business, government, or becoming an entrepreneur.
Where do you see your overall area of research headed in the next 5 years?
This is an exciting time in the area of investigating the
function, role, and adaptive responses of the capillary network. There was a
lull in this area of research for about 15 years prior to 2000, but as our
understanding of the integration of various systems has developed, along with
the efficacy of the tools provided through the use of antibodies and
computerized image analysis, there has been a resurgence in the area as
individuals from any number of disciplines have turned to exploring the
microcirculation and its critical importance to bodily function.
Why is being a CSEP Academic Member important to you?
CSEP (formally CASS) has been critical to me in a number of
ways.
It has provided me and my students with a forum in which to
interact with colleagues concerning our research, to learn from them about new
developments in our various fields, and to exchange research ideas based on
their latest findings.
The CSEP Annual Meeting has provided a setting for me to
discuss opportunities that exist for research collaboration, laboratory
interactions and visits, and potential grants, and has furnished opportunities
to discuss with prospective students from across Canada about our research and
the potential of joining the lab. Similarly, I have been able to discuss face
to face future research collaborations, laboratory interactions and relationships
with my colleagues.
CSEP, through its Annual Meeting and its journal, has
provided me and my students with opportunities to disseminate our research, for
my graduate students to present their work in a supportive atmosphere, to hear
from their peers about their work and ideas, and for them to become
knowledgeable about what who is who, opportunities that exist, and to interact
with other graduate students.
For all of us in the field, CSEP has afforded those of us
involved in research and university teaching opportunities to interact, to
publish and communicate our research, and to build consensus and positions
papers based on our research and experience; for our students and colleagues
involved in the fitness and clinical areas of the field, CSEP has provided
opportunities for them to develop further their knowledge and skills, and for
all of us, CSEP presented opportunities to talk about our field, to explore
issues that involve all of us, and to mobilize collectively to provide research
and practical support to the Canadian public.
CSEP Academic Member Guide