Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Professor John J. Miller is the director of the Dow Program in American Journalism at Hillsdale College and one of the nation’s most respected literary journalists. A regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal , he previously spent many years as a writer and podcaster for National Review . Miller is also the founder and executive director of the Student Free Press Association,...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to HeadFirst: A Concussion Podcast .  Today we have the honour and privilege of welcoming Dr Elisabeth Bik. Trained originally as a microbiologist, Dr Elisabeth Bik has become a global authority on research ethics and scientific credibility. She is best known for her meticulous investigations into altered images and questionable data practices in academic publishing....

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast , we’re revisiting some of the most powerful, challenging, and eye-opening moments from our past conversations. If you’ve missed any of our critical discussions featuring athlete’s perspective and experiences with concussion, this episode brings the best of it all together.    Best of Episode 4: Athlete   02:20 - Andy Clar...

Send us Fan Mail  In this special episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast , we’re revisiting some of the most powerful, challenging, and eye-opening moments from our past conversations. If you’ve missed any of our critical discussions brain function, dementia, litigation and autonomy this episode brings the best of it all together. We’ve carefully curated standout highlights from each major the...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast , we’re revisiting some of the most powerful, challenging, and eye-opening moments from our past conversations. If you’ve missed any of our critical discussions around ethics in sport, emerging concussion research, the social impact of brain injury, or the role of journalism in shaping public understanding, this episode br...

Send us Fan Mail   In this special episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast , we’re revisiting some of the most insightful, thought-provoking, and eye-opening moments from our past episodes. If you’ve missed any of the crucial conversations we've had about history, concussions and CTE, this episode is your chance to catch up with all the best bits. We’ve hand-picked highlights from each maj...

Send us Fan Mail Robbie O’Davis is a name etched into Newcastle Knights folklore. To the red-and-blue faithful, he’s better known as “Robbie O’Save-Us,” the fearless fullback whose blistering speed, courage under pressure, and game-changing brilliance helped define an era. Across more than 200 appearances for Newcastle, Robbie became one of the club’s most trusted match-winners, the kind of player...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Professor Robert Stern. Professor Stern is a Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Anatomy & Neurobiology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. As co-founder of the BU CTE Center and former Director of Clinical Research, he has spent nearly tw...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Professor Bill Ribbans.  Professor Ribbans is a Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon and Professor of Sports Medicine, internationally recognised for his decades of work in elite sport and lower-limb orthopaedics. He trained in London, completed Fellowships in Sheffield and at Harvard, and...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome Back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Professor Christina Master.  Dr. Christina Master is one of the world’s foremost experts in paediatric sports medicine and concussion care. She serves as a primary care sports medicine specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she also co-directs the Minds M...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have the honour and privilege of being joined by Dr Greg Hollin. Dr Hollin is a research fellow in the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield, where he explores the intersections of science, technology, medicine, and culture. His research focuses on areas such as neuroscience, concussion, CTE, biomimetic technology, and ethics. Throughout his ca...

Send us Fan Mail We are joined by Professor James Smoliga, who serves as the Director of Research and Faculty Development for Tufts University's, Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Seattle. Professor Smoliga previously held the position of Associate Director of the Human Biomechanics and Physiology Laboratory at High Point University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medici...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we’re joined by Associate Professor Kathleen Bachynski from Muhlenberg College. Her research explores injury prevention, sports safety, and youth health, examining how communities perceive brain injuries in sports—as accidents or preventable public health issues. She is the author of No Game for Boys to Play: The History of Youth Football and the Origins of a Public Health...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we have the honour and privilege to be joined once again by Professor Tony Collins, who previously featured in Episodes 61 and 70. Professor Collins is a renowned historian and Emeritus Professor, widely regarded as a leading authority in the field of sports history. Over the course of a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has authored more than a...

Send us Fan Mail ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide, murder, and abuse , Listener discretion is advised. Today’s episode features an in-depth conversation with Irvin Muchnick, an acclaimed independent journalist and author whose fearless investigations have exposed the darker, hidden side of sports. Irvin’s reporting has been featured in leading outlets such as Sports...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jamie Woodman, chiropractor and captain of the Perth Thunder in the Australian Ice Hockey League, the premier competition in the southern hemisphere. Jamie’s career on the ice stretches back more than ten years, beginning with a bold move to Canada at just 16 to skate with the Banff Bears, followed by time in the U.S. with the Palm Beach Hawks...

Send us Fan Mail Today we are honoured to invite back by popular demand, returning guest Dr. Eric Windholz, a highly respected expert in sports law and regulatory theory. A senior lecturer at Monash University and a member of several prominent sports law boards, Dr. Windholz has been a favourite among listeners since his appearances in Episodes 28 and 49. In this episode, he returns by popular dem...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome Back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today we have the honour and privilege to be joined by Dr Matt Ventresca and Dr Kathryn Henne.  Dr. Ventresca is a critical sports studies scholar and Research Associate at Western University and Brock University, as well as a Visiting Fellow at Australian National University. His decade-long research focuses on how social and cultu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, we welcome Dr. Tommy Wood. A neuroscientist and physician, discussing his journey into human optimization and brain health. We explore the complexities of concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI), the role of inflammation in brain health, and the nuances of cognitive decline and dementia. Dr. Wood emphasizes the impor...

Send us Fan Mail **Re-Release Episode with Dr Stephen Townsend. Original air date: July 2nd, 2024**   Welcome to HeadFirst: A Concussion Podcast In this episode, we are privileged to host Dr. Stephen Townsend as our special guest. Dr. Townsend holds the position of Lecturer and Research Fellow at Queensland University with the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences specializing in sport s...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today we are joined by Professor Amanda Ellison, a neuroscientist and physiologist at Durham University with more than two decades of experience. She has published over 80 peer-reviewed papers with close to 3,000 citations, and her research covers areas including the neuroscience of vision, neuronal disruption in migraine headaches,...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today we have the honor and privilege of welcoming back Dr. Federica Conti, who first joined us in Episode 60. Dr. Conti brings a remarkable background in cognitive neuroscience, holding a Master’s in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing from Oxford University and a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience. Her research lies at the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast , we’re joined by Ian Greener.  A lifelong contributor to football as a player, coach, educator, and dedicated advocate for player safety. Ian’s career began in 1970s England with Middlesbrough FC, where he trained alongside legends like Bill Gates. After moving to Australia, he became a key figure in the sport’s development — coa...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, we’re honoured to welcome Dr Judith Gates — educator, researcher, and founder of Head Safe Football. With a distinguished career spanning education and strategic planning, including roles at Harvard and Stanford, Dr. Gates now channels her expertise into raising awareness about sports-related brain injuries. Inspired by the legac...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re joined by Julie, whose MMA career spans over a decade with appearances in top-tier promotions like EliteXC, Strikeforce, and the UFC. Her 2007 fight with Gina Carano remains a landmark moment in combat sports history, showcasing the skill and legitimacy of women in MMA. After retiring from competition, Julie transitioned to broadcasting and has since become...