In Tribute: Professor Kevin Tipton
By now, many of you are aware that Professor Kevin Tipton passed away on January 9, 2022. He loved teaching and sparking an interest in nutrition and metabolism in the undergraduate and postgraduate students he taught and mentored. Kevin had a significant impact on the field of sport and health science, as well as an extensive academic contribution.
Prof. Tipton was a long-standing member of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism's Editorial Board, as well as a prolific author for IJSNEM. Many colleagues and IJSNEM members have written short tributes in Kevin's memory; these are included here, alongside many photos submitted by friends and colleagues.
Human Kinetics is pleased to have published many articles authored by Prof. Tipton. In his memory, all of his articles published within the Human Kinetics Journals portfolio are listed below and are free to read.
Friends and colleagues who would like to share their memories of Kevin and highlight his many achievements are encouraged to send their tributes or photos to James Betts, Editor-in-Chief, at jb335@bath.ac.uk, for inclusion on this page.
Tributes from colleagues and friends
James Betts:
I vividly remember seeing Kev present for the first time and feeling so inspired by his humble and balanced approach to science—at one point he even encouraged the audience to replicate his study to independently verify the findings. It was always such a pleasure to spend time with him too, both to learn from his advice and simply to enjoy his company. Looking back through our email correspondence makes me smile to remember how he could brighten your day by taking an amusing perspective on life. Rest in peace friend.
James Morton:
I first met Kev in 2009 at the International Biochemistry of Exercise Conference in Guelph. I was attending that conference on my own and as a young post-doctoral researcher and an early career researcher, I was extremely nervous and very much in awe of the senior researchers in attendance. In attempting to connect with UK colleagues, I eventually plucked up the courage to introduce myself to the "Birmingham group", namely Oly Witard and Kev. Kev instantly put me at ease, introduced me to the wider group and simply said, “Don’t worry dude, you can hang out with us.” That was one of Kev’s main strengths, his ability to connect with people and make them feel at ease. No matter if you were a BSc student, an early career researcher, or a senior Professor, he treated everyone with the same respect and attention. No question was too silly and no academic discussion was off limits. Needless to say, I hung out with Kev ever since and will throughly miss his presence and company at national and international conferences. I was fortunate enough to witness Kev lecture and teach on many occasions and like many others, I can testify to his ability to light up a room and inject a passion for learning in others. In 2021, Kev had just taken up a visiting Professorship at my own institution at Liverpool John Moores University, and we were very much looking forward to having him light up our own lecture theatres as well as begin our research collaborations. Aside from his professional expertise, Kev was a wonderful person, always kind and generous with his time but above all, he had the ability to make you feel that he cared. We will all miss Kev immeasurably but his legacy and impact will forever live on.
Luc van Loon:
Kevin will be remembered as a true scientist, enthusiastic, inquisitive, passionate, and reliable in both his research and teaching and always with plenty of humor and the highest level of integrity. I enjoyed working with him and even more the friendship we built over the years. I can remember so many meetings and workshops where we met and hung out together. The best were the meetings in Lausanne, where we would do our yearly run together …. which was more like a 5 km stroll alongside the lake in comparison to the likes of many of you. After a painful run, we would vow not to run again until the next meeting. Thereafter, we would join our extended dysfunctional family at the round table in the white horse for a beer or two. I already miss him enormously and I may even come to miss his monologues when it came to U.S. politics….
Pete Peeling:
Kevin was an amazingly generous man. I remember back in 2006, as a student attending ECSS, Kevin took me and my wife out for dinner. We went to pay for the meal, but he wouldn’t have a bar of it. He suggested that he would pay the bill and that we should do him a favour instead. The favour was to pay it forward, and for us to take care of a student’s dinner in the future when we were in the position to do so. Something we have never forgotten, often talk about, and try to make good on when the opportunities arise. Kevin’s loss is sad for the world. Rest peacefully.
Sophie Killer:
Kevin was my undergraduate supervisor at the University of Birmingham and was the one of the key influences on me during that time which set me along my performance nutrition journey. Kev introduced me to working in a lab and even let me do the suction on the Bergstrom needle - pretty cool for a 3rd year!!! I loved that Kev would always answer my questions with a question, he was always encouraging my inquisitive mind. I have so many fond memories of working with Kev and many more of our socials at various conferences around the world - including going to see the San Fran Giants together during one ACSM. The last time I was with Kev was in Newcastle in 2019; we had such a fun evening and this photo will always remind me of that, and of him….and of that big warm smile he had.
Javier Gonzalez:
I remember Kev first and foremost as a scientist and mentor. I respected his firm objectivity and logic combined with his generosity to develop young scientists. Kev had a huge impact on me personally, mentoring me to my first successful grant application and providing much more advice on science and academia more generally. I know I am not alone in this with Kev’s impact felt widely in the exercise science community for his mentoring. Probably the advice that will stick with me most prominently from Kev is to be “simultaneously critical but open minded.”
Gareth Wallis:
My first introduction to Kevin Tipton was at a scientific conference. We bonded over a shared love for science and sport. I wonder how many people got to know Kevin in a similar way.
I feel privileged to have enjoyed some memorable times with Kevin. Those days in the lab where he’d walk in and start taking a muscle biopsy from a willing participant, only to reveal he was ‘just the janitor’—followed by a big smile. Intensely debating many a study design. Should we go with a pre-exercise breakfast or not? And writing discussions for publications. These data (always these, never this) are hard to interpret. The data are the data (plural, again)—how many times did I hear this. I’m sure Kevin had those debates and discussions with many of us, and we’re all better scientists, educators, or practitioners for it.
I remember many a conference trip, often sharing a room with Kevin. He loved and lived for conferences, where he could catch up with the friends and colleagues, talk science and life, share a drink, exercise, and explore the sights. Wherever we went Kevin had done his homework on the place and its history. I recall a mini-break in Lisbon with my now wife ahead of an ECSS congress in Estoril, Portugal. Kevin also arrived early and having bumped into him in Lisbon he promptly changed his plans to ‘hang out with you guys’ instead. So, it wasn’t the romantic break we had planned, but we did get the best tour guide in Lisbon for weekend. We were so pleased Kevin could celebrate our wedding day with us—he even left the rugby shirt at home that day (photo evidence provided).
As well as the fun times, Kevin was a great mentor to me, and many others. Where to do a postdoc? Should I go to industry? Is now the time to come back to academia? All things I would just call Kevin and talk about. And he’d do the same. His moves around the UK from Birmingham to Stirling and then Durham. I’ll miss those conversations about what lies ahead. The optimism for the future.
Everyone has their own memories of Kevin. For me he was a great scientist, educator, and mentor. But above all he was a friend. Kevin Tipton was everyone’s friend.
Articles from the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
1993: Zinc Loss in Sweat of Athletes Exercising in Hot and Neutral Temperatures
2001: Exercise, Protein Metabolism, and Muscle Growth
2007: Role of Protein and Hydrolysates before Exercise
2009: Protein Plus Carbohydrate Does Not Enhance 60-km Time-Trial Performance
2014: Nutrition and Training Adaptations in Aquatic Sports
Dietary Supplements for Aquatic Sports
2022: Making Sense of Muscle Protein Synthesis: A Focus on Muscle Growth During Resistance Training
Article from the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
2016: Effect of Intensive Training on Mood With No Effect on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
