Mark is a world class musician who is best known for his work with the rock band ‘Skunk Anansie‘.
One of the main aims of the CBDP is to present its research findings to the general public using oral and written communication, plus practical demonstration. Mark has played a significant role in supporting CBDP events that showcase the physical demands of drumming from both a theoretical and practical perspective. The following image shows Mark wearing scientific equipment that allows heart rate and estimated energy expenditure to be displayed to the watching audience in real time.
Mark performed a similar role at the British Cardiovascular Society Annual Conference in 2014. The presentation provoked much debate about the potential therapeutic benefit of using drumming as a post heart surgery intervention to facilitate physical and mental recovery.
Mark has also played an active role in supporting a variety of research projects undertaken by the CBDP. The thermal challenge of playing the drums in a hot and humid environment, such as playing outdoors at a festival or indoors in a club, is intriguing. In order to gain insight into this fascinating area Mark took part in a 60 minute drumming test in an environmental chamber set at a temperature and humidity typically recorded at both outdoor and indoor venues. Images below reflect the consequences of a 2% decrease in body mass via sweating.
Mark has also played a key role in the production of an animated video showcasing research findings highlighting the positive changes in brain structure and function following drumming practice. The process of animation is complex and involves a number of stages in terms of capturing 3-D images. The photos below provide some insight into the data capture.
In 2018 Mark also supported a CBDP project exploring the health and wellbeing benefits of drumming on young autistic adults. This work was rewarding on so many levels and confirmed the CBDP commitment to working with this particular group in the future. Photo taken from the final day of data collection.
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