Sofie Smismans is a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Movement and Sport Sciences (MOSS; faculty of Physical Education) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Sofie is an active member of the research group Sport Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS). She graduated at the VUB in 2016 as Master of Science in Sports Management (Magna Cum Laude) and obtained an additional Master of Science in Management (Cum Laude) in 2017. After some working experience in the practical field of sport management (i.e., Special Olympics Belgium, MOEV), she got the chance to further develop her interest in sports management by engaging in research activities. Sofie’s research interests lie in the broad domain of (elite) sport/football science and more specifically in the domains of sport management, sport policy and sport sociology. While a great interest in elite sport success on a micro -, meso – en macrolevel is prominent, during her sport science education, she also developed an important interest in the personal and societal impact of sport  (e.g., gender & sport, economic aspects of sport, inspirational effect of elite sport).

As a researcher, Sofie is involved in qualitative and quantitative research on high performance management in elite sport, elite sport policy, and the societal impact of elite sport.

Sofie was actively involved in the coordination of multiple international research projects for the European Commission: Be a Winner In elite Sport and Employment before and after athletic Retirement’ (B-WISER; 2017-2018), ‘Mind the Gap’ (2018-2020), ‘Ecology of Dual Careers’ (2018-2019), 'Athletes for Society' (2020-2022) and for the International Olympic Committee (‘How should athletes be supported before, during, and after athletic retirement? Moving from an athletic-centred needs analysis to practical guidelines for career support stakeholders’). Sofie’s research activities resulted in several reports, publications, workshops and presentations of research results to policy makers (e.g., Sport Vlaanderen) and on national and international conferences (e.g., EASM, FEPSAC, VBSW). 

As a lecturer, Sofie provides and assists in courses related to sport policy and management. Specifically, she coordinates the course 'Event and projectmanagement in sport', she assists in the course ‘High Performance Management’ and provides support and guidance to students in their internships Sport Management during both their bachelor’s and master’s years. She also supervises students’ master theses related to SPLISS. Next to her teaching activities, Sofie is part of faculty committees (e.g.., Opleidingsraad Postgraduaten faculteit LK; RvB Doctoral School Human Sciences, Onderwijscommissie, Onderzoekscommissie, Partnership board postgraduate international football business) and participates in faculty activities (e.g., Sport science days, infodays).