Kari Descheemaeker

Kari works as a PhD candidate at the research unit Sport & Society/SPLISS (Sports Policy Factors Leading to International Sporting Success) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). She has a masters’ degree in “Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy in Musculoskeletal Disorders” and a Postgraduate degree in “Sports Management”. After graduating, she gained her first academic experiences through research projects funded by the Belgian government and Erasmus+. The Belgian research project focused on the societal impact of elite sports and especially on the societal impact of the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Erasmus+ research project, called the Vital Cities Challenge, investigates how cities can engage citizens to be more physically active by using the right tools and testing innovative approaches.  

In 2022, Kari started her PhD about the role of mass sport participation, talent identification and talent development in developing success in elite sports. This doctoral research is under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Veerle De Bosscher.