Faster & fairer - science & sport at King's College London
King's medal winnersThe fact that London is the Olympic city in 2012 offers an ideal opportunity to assess the importance of sport for King's College London, physically and intellectually.
Sport has been central to student life at King's College since its inception. Sporting clubs have also been active at Guy's Hospital Medical School and other institutions with which King's has now merged. At the same time key discoveries at King's have led to important advances in the science of sport.
Unveiling of the anti-doping lab for 2012 OlympicsThis exhibition celebrates these breakthroughs - focusing first on the science underlying the concept of fitness: understanding how muscles function and the physiology of the human body, thereby enabling athletes to run faster.
Understanding food through the science of nutrition helps in improving endurance. Fairness, too, has a scientific side understood by examining the ethical implications of the drug testing of athletes and the legal side of sporting competition.
As long ago as 1978, in association with the Sports Council, King's College established its Drug Control and Teaching Centre, the first ever human sports drug-testing laboratory set up outside an Olympic Games.
Looking beyond the laboratory to the element of fun, we wish to celebrate the sporting achievements of members of the College, including noted Olympians.
Finally, and importantly for the future, the topic of sport for the 2012 Olympics is providing a useful stimulus at King's College though 'Scientists in Sport' to invite 11-14 year olds to consider a career in science.
PLEASE NOTE: This exhibition originally ran from July – October 2012 in the foyer of the King’s building, King’s College London, and is now available to view as an online exhibition only.
In this exhibition
- Fitness
- Food
- Fairness
- Fun
- Future