Sports and human performance
Our research investigates factors affecting human performance in high intensity settings, including sports, military and industrial settings. The area spans sports injury and rehabilitation, environmental physiology, biomechanics, ergogenic (performance enhancing) aids, sports analytics, measuring and developing mental toughness, skill acquisition, anti-doping and organisational and individual commitment.
Motor control and learning
Our research focuses on using transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct-current electrical stimulation and electrical stimulation at the spinal cord level. A significant project in this area is MOTORIST, spearheaded by Marie Curie research fellow Dr Simon Rosalie. MOTORIST aims to improve the safety of motorcycles and other powered two-wheeler vehicles.
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
View school
Dr Simon Rosalie
Simon is interested in the learning, retention, performance and transfer of perceptual-motor skills, theoretical models of transfer of complex perceptual-motor skills, and motor sport and road safety.
Biomechanics
Our biomechanics researchers focus on elite sports (particularly hockey), load carriage, cerebral palsy, running research, video games, 3D motion analysis with 18 camera Vicon system, EMG and forceplates.
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
View school
Dr Amity Campbell
Amity carries out inter-disciplinary research in biomechanics, injury prevention and performance optimisation.
Dr Tiff Grisbrook
Tiff is working in the areas of exercise rehabilitation, biomechanics, exercise physiology and burn injury.
Dr Leanda McKenna
Leanda’s research interests include investigating the clinical utility of shoulder measurement tools, the influence of scapular outcomes on pain and shoulder pain in swimmers.
Dr Susan Morris
Running biomechanics of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder, Generalised Joint Hypermobility and Cerebral Palsy.
Associate Professor Kevin Netto
Kevin is interested in human performance in the extremes, assessing human biomechanics to study changes in the neuro-musculoskeletal system.
Dr Sarah Stearne
Sarah has investigated the influence of the foot’s posture and structure on the mechanics and energetics of running.
Dr Catherine Wild
Catherine is interested in landing biomechanics and landing technique during growth and development.
Dr Sian Williams
Sian utilises lab and field based movement analysis/measurement techniques with a goal to improve movement performance, physical activity participation and rehabilitation strategies within paediatric (for example, Cerebral Palsy and other physical disabilities) and other clinical populations.
Exercise physiology
Our researchers focus on improving athletic performance, performance in extreme environments, military exercise, ergogenic aids and eccentric exercise training.
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
View school
Dr Carly Brade
Carly’s primary research interest is in sport physiology in particular performance enhancement through heat acclimation/acclimatisation and precooling.
Dr Kagan Ducker
Kagan’s research is focused on improving athletic performance in elite athletes and the effects of supplements on rowing, team-sport and track running performance.
Dr Angela Spence
Angela is interested in exercise physiology, cardiovascular physiology and exercise training.
Performance psychology
This area investigates doping in sport, stress, psychosis, mental toughness and organisational and individual commitment.
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
View school
Associate Professor Daniel Gucciardi
Daniel’s research interests are in applied psychology with a particular focus on personal and contextual factors related to high performance, health behaviours and well-being in contexts such as sport, education and the workplace.
Anthropometry
Anthropometry includes kinanthropometry and body composition in sports.
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
View school
Dr Kagan Ducker
Kagan’s general research interests are enhancing athletic performance, exercise and physical activity in extreme environments, supplements and sports nutrition, anthropometry and industrial and military physiology.
