Teaching Fellow
Office OBS 8.03
Email scarlett.hagen-jacobs@otago.ac.nz
Background
Scarlett joined the Department of Tourism in 2026. She has a PhD in Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Otago.
Having been raised in Queenstown, Scarlett has a wealth of experience in the outdoor education, adventure, and specifically mountain biking. She spent several years as an elite-athlete traveling the world cup circuit competing as a professional mountain biker, and holds many national and international titles.
Prior to academia Scarlett was the managing director of a bike coaching business, and worked with various schools coaching students and implementing local bike tracks. She has also worked in various sport education roles, and has served on committees for conferences and regional and national sporting boards.
Research interests
- Scarlett’s primary research focuses on:
- Sport and adventure tourism
- Action sport subcultures and experiences
- Affective experiences in outdoor activities; cycling and mountain biking
- The environment, sustainability and bike park and trail implementations
Her research is situated in the social sciences, and has a particular emphasis on affective landscapes and participant experiences, risk analysis and the applied realities of operating tourism businesses.
Other emerging research interests include children’s experiences of adventure tourism, the role of affect and sensory engagement in tourism and recreational encounters, and the evolving landscape of cycling-based tourism. This includes an exploration of e-biking, bike-park development, trail and track design, potential safety improvements as well as the planning and management frameworks shaping the future of mountain biking and cycling tourism.
Publications
Hagen, S., & Boyes, M. (2016). Affective ride experiences on mountain bike terrain. Journal of Outdoor Recreation & Tourism, 15, 89-98. doi: 10.1016/j.jort.2016.07.006 Journal - Research Article