A FORMER Tavistock College student has graduated as Doctor of Sports Technology at Loughborough University.

Tom Waller, who attended the college from 1989-1996 and who was also head of Tremayne House and 1st XV rugby captain, achieved a degree at the university in product design and manufacturing in 2000.

He went on to study the development of inspiratory muscle training technologies in order to attain his PhD. He is the son of Tamson and Steve Waller.

Tom has lectured and presented his work in Japan, Australia and America at global conferences and also at the Science Museum and the House of Commons. As a result of his work and his efforts to promote science, engineering and technology to young people, he was selected in October 2001 to represent the Engineering and Sports Council as a role model. Through his contributions to this role he has since won the Science Communicators Award from the Royal Institute.

Tom is continuing with a career in sports technology and has recently undertaken two roles. The first is with a university-based company as a design consultant and he has also accepted a post-doctoral position at Loughborough as research associate for Huntleigh Healthcare.