The researcher dedicated all her time to the EU project and worked in the various directions indicated in the application. This occurred as a complete immersion as staff member of the host university in Germany. Skills were developed in the area of scientific knowledge, languages, project management, communication, career development and team management.
In academic terms, the researcher studied international literature on physical training in interwar Europe and developed some cross analysis that she presented on the occasion of conferences and seminars. For example, she was invited to give a lecture entitled ‘Physical education and sport in the first half of the 20th century – on the genesis of a cultural heritage in Europe’, to open the history section of the 1st Romanian International Conference in Sports History, “Sport and its transformations – from marginal to global practice”, National University of Physical Education and Sport, Bucharest (Romania), 10/06/2021. She also gave a paper entitled ‘Reconstruction of the body: sport and hygiene in interwar Europe’, at the prestigious Webinar Series organised by the International Centre for Sports History and Culture (ICSHC), De Montfort University Leicester (UK), 09/03/2022.
Beyond these invited lectures, the researcher presented her findings and methodology at various conferences, for example:
• 24th Congress of the European Committee for Sports History (CESH) / International Society for the History of Physical Education and Sport (ISHPES), New University Lisbon (Portugal), 14-16/09/2021
• 15e Carrefours d’histoire du sport « Vingt ans après… écrire l’histoire du sport », University of Artois, Arras, 19-21/10/2021
• British Society for Sport History (BSSH) 40th Anniversary Conference, De Montfort University, Leicester (UK), 25-26/08/2022 (paper entitled ‘From drill to fun? Differences and variations in interwar British physical education’).
• “ ‘Propagandare il nuoto’ e costruire piscine: un progetto educativo e politico incompiuto del fascismo in Italia continentale e in Sardegna”, Keynote paper, 9e congrès de la Société italienne d’histoire du sport (SISS), Université de Cagliari, Sardaigne (Italie), 8-9/10/2021.
In terms of dissemination and mentoring, the researcher participated in the supervision of master and PhD students in France and Germany and on the occasion of a Summer School in Switzerland, where she also gave a paper entitled ‘The Stadium: social, political and arts history of sport’ (Invited Paper, Summer School, University of Lausanne (CH), 30/08/2021).
During the time of the project, she supervised one doctoral student working on the history of physical education in France and enrolled a new doctoral student working on cycling in fascist Italy. Both of them have been active in the field, giving papers and publishing scientific articles.
What is more, the researcher continued to act as an editor in chief of the academic journal ‘European Studies in Sports History’ and managed to bring three volumes to a nearly completion. To achieve this, she was in permanent contact with the authors, editors, reviewers and the publisher. Fortunately, she was able to gain some help from the host institution to prepare the manuscripts.
In editorial terms, the researcher also edited a couple of special issues of ranked academic journals.
Regarding work on the cohesion of the research field, the researcher became in September 2021 the President of the European Committee for Sports History (CESH) for the next four years and she has worked to structure the field, organise the society’s annual international congress, reinforce communication, etc.
As part of her expertise work, the researcher has participated to the assessment of 6 PhD dissertations and a couple of French “habilitations” degrees.
Finally, as part of her career development plan, the researcher applied to a professorship position and succeeded, becoming Professor at the University of Rouen Normandy (France) on the first day after the end of the EU project (01/09/2022).
