Solène Froidevaux holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Lausanne (2019), for which she was awarded the Equality Prize from her Faculty. She is a sociologist of the body, specializing in feminist theories (included feminist & queer phenomenology), sports studies, urban studies, and ethnography. In her doctoral thesis she analyzed the ways in which Swiss sports shooters (firearms shooting and archery) become gendered subjects by being bodily embedded in a specific sport material world including weapons. During her scientific stay at the Centre, she will deepen her analysis on the sensory landscape of Swiss sports shooting and on the sensory relationship with weapons among Swiss sports shooters.

Her current postdoctoral project “Gender embodiment during hard physical effort: Ethnography of endurance tests within sports medicine centers” examines the sensory dimension of athletes’ lived experiences. In dialogue with exercise physiologists and ultra-endurance sportspeople, this research aims to report to what extent perceptual norms and material devices involved can affect bodily performances. Her project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Beside of her academic work, Solène Froidevaux advises cities in Switzerland and sports federations on the implementation of (sport) equality policies, especially in the public space.