Dr Lauren Burch

Specific areas of focus include network analysis of organizational communication with stakeholders, gendered self-presentation, personal branding, and brand authenticity of athletes on social media, and media framing to influence consumer behavior or public perception of social issues.  

Lauren’s research has been featured in more than 20 peer-reviewed academic journal articles and book chapters, including articles in Sport Management Review, the Journal of Sport Management, Communication and Sport, and the International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing.

Lauren is also a member of several professional organisations including the European Association for Sport Management (EASM), the North American Association for Sport Management (NASSM), the International Association for Communication and Sport (IACS) and the Sport Marketing Association (SMA).

Prior to joining Loughborough University London, Lauren served as an associate professor of marketing and the MBA Program Director in the Division of Business at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) (USA). She also held adjunct teaching positions at Indiana University (USA) and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) (USA). Lauren has taught a wide variety of courses in both business and sport management at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including topics such as statistics, analytics, digital marketing, advertising, consumer behaviour, and administrative strategic policy.

Lauren earned her PhD in Sport Management from Indiana University in 2012, where she also completed her master’s degree in Sport Management and Marketing in 2007, and her bachelor’s degree in Business Management in 2005.

Lauren has previous work experience in new business development with Lockheed Martin Corporation from 2007 – 2009 and in public relations with Hirons & Company Communications from 2009 – 2011.

Lauren’s current research interests focus on examining the gendered construction of brand identity and the brand positioning of athletes through social media and how this relates to consumer perceptions of brand authenticity. She is also interested in athlete activism and the utilisation of social media as a tool to enact policy change. Additionally, Lauren is examining the discourse and sentiment within content on social media, specifically focusing on online abuse from a racial or gendered perspective in sport.

Lauren is currently collaborating with colleagues from Mississippi State University (USA) and St. Bonaventure University (USA) on a sports journalism textbook for Human Kinetics that is designed to be an instructional guide for sports journalism students entering into industry.

Lauren is a runner, rower, and martial artist, and enjoys being active and outdoors. From a young age she has been involved with music and currently enjoys playing the guitar and drums. A firm believer in the power of mentorship, Lauren has raised funds for organisations such as SAYes, which provides mentoring services for youth in transition, and plans to join their UK-based mentoring program.