The Physiological Society (‘The Society’) congratulates Mike Tipton MBE on being awarded the Ireland Medal 2019 by The Lifesaving Foundation. Mike is only the second UK medal recipient.
Mike has served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Experimental Physiology since 2016 and has been a Fellow Member of The Society since 2017.
In addition to his involvements with The Society, Mike has worked for 35 years in the areas of thermoregulation, environmental and occupational physiology. Mike also does an enormous amount of work for many different organisations throughout the UK and the world, saving lives through prevention of drowning. He provides technical input to Surf Life Saving GB (SLSGB) on the physiological responses association with immersion-related deaths and the prevention, rescue and treatment of immersion casualties. He was awarded an MBE in 2018 for his services to physiological research in extreme environments.
He and his colleagues in the Extreme Environments Laboratory at the University of Portsmouth examine the physiological and psychological responses to adverse environments and the selection, preparation and protection of those who enter such environments.
He provides advice to a range of universities, government departments, industries and medical organisations, and has been consultant in survival and thermal medicine to the Royal Air Force and UK Sport.
Commenting on the award, Mike Tipton said:
“I am honoured and delighted to receive this award. I see it as recognition of the impact of our group’s physiological research and teaching efforts over many years to save the lives of those who find themselves in trouble in water”.