Hoda Allahbakhshi is a Researcher at the Digital Society Initiative of the University of Zurich , affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Department of Geography . Her work focuses on GIScience , spatio-temporal data analysis , and sensor-based human mobility analysis , particularly addressing accessibility challenges for mobility-restricted individuals. Research Themes include: Development of spatial accessibility analytics frameworks Integration of multi-sensor tracking data (GPS, accelerometers) Age-specific physical activity detection modeling Participatory approaches to urban accessibility mapping Her scientific contributions (2017-2024) analyze mobility patterns through big data and urban infrastructure interactions , with recent emphasis on microscale street elements and inclusive urban environments . Current affiliations: Department of Geography , Digital Society Initiative (University of Zurich).
Kelly R. Evenson, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research focuses on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and their impacts on health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and maternal health. She actively contributes to national and international guidelines for physical activity recommendations and evaluates public health policies and environmental interventions to promote active living. Evenson holds a PhD in Epidemiology from UNC-Chapel Hill, an MS in Exercise Physiology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and a BA in Mathematics/Physical Education from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her work integrates epidemiological methods with population health strategies, emphasizing translational research to improve public health. Her research interests span aging, cancer prevention, heart disease, and nutrition, with a particular emphasis on how physical activity and sedentary behavior intersect with these areas. She has led studies on accelerometer-based activity monitoring, park redesign impacts, and the role of light exposure in health outcomes. Evenson’s recent articles highlight trends in activity metrics (e.g., step counts, sedentary time) and their associations with mortality, cancer risk, and cardiovascular health. Her work often involves large cohort studies and emphasizes culturally relevant interventions for diverse populations, including Hispanic communities and African American women. Awards: Fellow of the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. Grants & Advising: Involved in multiple NIH-funded studies and serves on editorial boards of top journals. Advises on national health initiatives like the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and the National Physical Activity Plan. Labs/Teams: Collaborates within the Gillings School’s research hubs, focusing on global health and innovative public health interventions.
Emma Eyre is a researcher specializing in physical activity and child development, with a focus on measurement techniques like accelerometry and the impact of school-based interventions. Her work explores fundamental motor skills proficiency in children, assessment methodologies for physical activity levels, and behavioral changes related to nutrition. Her studies frequently appear in journals such as Sensors, Acta Paediatrica, European Physical Education Review, Frontiers in Physiology, and Journal of Health Psychology . Key contributions include validating accelerometer-based tools for assessing children's movement skills and evaluating the effectiveness of school programs targeting healthy behaviors.
Christian Franck is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with affiliations in Biomedical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics. He holds interdisciplinary roles within the College of Engineering and has received numerous awards including the 2023 H.I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship and 2023 M. Hetenyi Best Journal Paper Award. Education: PhD (2008) and MS (2004) from California Institute of Technology, BS (2003) from University of Virginia. Research focuses on biomechanics of neural injury, soft material characterization, and 3D bioprinting. Notable work includes modeling blast traumatic brain injury mechanisms and developing novel hydrogel-based systems. Recent work emphasizes inertial microcavitation, cellular traction force microscopy, and material response under extreme conditions. Courses taught include advanced mechanics, design projects, and doctoral research supervision. Awards: Over 15 honors including Romnes Fellowships, Borgen Professorship, and Hetenyi Paper Award Grants: Active research funding supports trauma biomechanics and soft material innovation Labs: Leads teams in biomechanics, 3D printing, and cellular mechanics studies
Dr. Duncan Buchan is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland. He holds a PhD in the effects of exercise interventions on cardiometabolic risk in adolescents and has been actively involved in research since 2008. His work focuses on physical activity, health, obesity, and cardiometabolic risk in youth populations, leveraging accelerometry and school-based interventions. Education: BSc from Aberdeen University, MSc from Loughborough University, PhD from University of the West of Scotland. Research Interests: Physical activity patterns, youth obesity, accelerometry validation, school interventions, and community health initiatives. His research has explored relationships between physical fitness, adiposity, and cardiometabolic risk in children, with projects involving NHS Lanarkshire and local schools. Collaborations include evaluating walking football’s impact on wellbeing and school-based health programs. Recent work emphasizes accelerometer-derived metrics for sleep and activity tracking, with studies on asthma patients and young-onset dementia populations. He contributes to editorial boards for journals like Physical Activity and Health and has served as an external examiner for academic programs. Key collaborations include NHS Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire Council, and multiple Scottish schools. He aims to translate research into policies and practices that improve public health through interventions targeting physical activity, diet, and psychological wellbeing.
Rikke Gade is an Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology within The Technical Faculty of IT and Design at Aalborg University. Her research focuses on Visual Analysis and Perception, AI for the People, and Mobility and Tracking Technologies. She has established herself as a leading researcher in computer vision applications across multiple domains including sports analytics, animal welfare, and human-computer interaction. Dr. Gade earned her PhD in Computer Vision from Aalborg University in 2015 with her dissertation "Taking the Temperature of Sports Arenas - Automatic Analysis of People." Prior to this, she completed her M.Sc. in Informatics with specialization in Vision, Graphics and Interactive Systems in 2011, and her B.Sc. in Electronic and Electrical Engineering in 2009. Her research interests span Computer Vision, Image Processing, Robot Vision, and Thermal Imaging with applications in diverse fields. She has pioneered work in using thermal imaging for sports analytics, developing systems for tracking athletes and analyzing movement patterns in sports arenas. More recently, her research has expanded into AI applications for animal welfare, particularly developing computer vision systems for detecting pain and stress in horses through facial expression analysis. Dr. Gade's publications reveal a clear progression from foundational work in thermal imaging and sports analytics toward more complex applications in healthcare, animal welfare, and smart building systems. Her most recent work shows increasing focus on ethical AI applications that serve societal needs, as evidenced by projects like "AI for the People" and research on equine pain detection. Best Paper Award at Conference CISBAT 2021 (Lausanne, Switzerland) Dr. Gade actively supervises PhD students, including Alves, J.M. on equine affective state assessment. She has secured significant research funding, including a major grant from the Independent Research Fund Denmark for developing AI systems to detect pain in horses. Her collaborative approach is evident in her involvement in multiple interdisciplinary projects spanning computer science, veterinary medicine, and building science. She leads the Visual Analysis and Perception research group at Aalborg University, focusing on practical applications of computer vision technologies. Her team works closely with industry partners on real-world implementations, particularly in sports analytics and animal welfare applications. Current projects include developing AI systems for road damage detection in collaboration with Faxe Kommune and creating advanced tracking systems for sports performance analysis.
Dr. Loki Natarajan is a Professor in the Division of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), within the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science. She holds a PhD in Mathematics from UC Berkeley and has over 20 years of experience as a Principal Investigator in clinical trials and biostatistical research. Her work focuses on developing statistical methods to analyze health behaviors, particularly using wearable sensor data, and improving outcomes in chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Dr. Natarajan’s research integrates ‘omics data and behavioral interventions, with notable contributions to accelerometer-based physical activity analysis, sedentary behavior patterns, and prognostic modeling in diabetic kidney disease. She leads the UCSD Biostatistics PhD program and teaches advanced courses in statistical learning and public health biostatistics. Her funded projects include NIH grants on metabolomic signatures in kidney disease, behavioral interventions for low-income seniors, and genomic predictors of breast cancer survival. Key publications include studies on functional data analysis of physical activity patterns, machine learning applications in accelerometer data, and clinical trials evaluating sleep interventions during chemotherapy. Dr. Natarajan’s work emphasizes translating statistical innovations into actionable public health strategies, with a focus on aging populations and underserved communities.
Sarah Moore is a researcher affiliated with Newcastle University , focusing on post-stroke rehabilitation and physical activity assessment. Her work spans motor recovery, gait analysis, and technological interventions like wristband accelerometers to monitor and motivate movement in stroke survivors. Research Themes : Stroke rehabilitation, sedentary behavior, and application of wearable technology for movement analysis. Key Collaborations : Regularly collaborates with Professor Christopher Price, Dr. Lisa Shaw, and Dr. Darren Flynn on clinical trials and systematic reviews. Technological Focus : Pioneering studies (e.g., WAVES, ACTIVATE) on auditory cueing and accelerometer-based feedback systems for home-based rehabilitation. Methodological Contributions : Validating measurement tools for gait asymmetry and energy expenditure post-stroke. Her recent publications (2025–2019) emphasize clinical guidelines, behavioral interventions, and objective activity monitoring. Trends in her research include improving free-living physical activity, understanding motor recovery biomarkers, and developing accessible rehabilitation frameworks.
Overview Emily L. Mailey is an Associate Professor of Exercise Behavioral Science in the Department of Kinesiology at Kansas State University (KSU). She serves as the Graduate Program Coordinator and directs the Physical Activity Intervention Research Lab. Her work focuses on promoting physical activity among working mothers, reducing workplace sedentariness, and developing web-based interventions for health promotion. Education PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2012), Exercise Psychology MS, Ball State University (2007), Sport & Exercise Psychology BA, St. Olaf College (2005), Exercise Science and Psychology Research Interests Dr. Mailey’s research addresses barriers to physical activity in underrepresented groups, including working mothers, military spouses, and low-income populations. Her studies emphasize the role of behavioral goals, workplace interventions, and digital tools in enhancing health outcomes. She has pioneered studies on sedentary behavior reduction and the psychological benefits of exercise. Grants & Awards Recipient of NIH grants and foundation awards for workplace wellness and military spouse health initiatives 2016 Best Early Career Researcher Presentation (ISBNPA) 2012 Student Special Interest Group Research Award (Society of Behavioral Medicine) Advising & Grants Dr. Mailey has mentored over 20 graduate students and led projects totaling $3.4M in grant funding. Her research teams include collaborations with public health agencies and military organizations. Notable grants include the Stand Up Kansas intervention and InDependent: Promoting Military Spouse Health. Lab & Affiliations Director of the Physical Activity Intervention Research Lab, which develops and evaluates behavioral interventions targeting sedentary populations. Collaborates with the College of Health and Human Sciences and the Kansas Public Health Association.
Paolo Caserotti is a Professor and Head of Centre at the University of Southern Denmark, affiliated with the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences. He leads multiple research centres including the Research Unit of Muscle Physiology and Biomechanics, the Center for Active and Healthy Ageing, and the Danish Centre for Motivation and Behaviour Science. PhD in Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics His research focuses on promoting physical activity and healthy aging in older adults. Key areas include muscle strength, accelerometer-based physical activity measurement, behavioral interventions, and the impact of nutrition and exercise on aging. He investigates how personalized and socially inclusive strategies can enhance physical function and reduce sedentary behavior in community-dwelling elderly populations. Recent research trends show a strong emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and multi-center EU projects. His work integrates biomechanics, clinical nutrition, and behavioral science to develop evidence-based interventions for active aging. He frequently uses objective measurement tools like accelerometers to assess activity levels and functional outcomes. Scientific Awards: KL's forebyggelsespris 2024 Advising and Grants: Paolo Caserotti has supervised academic work and taught in interdisciplinary programs such as Radical Rethink! The Future of Ageing Societies . He is actively involved in securing and managing significant research funding through multiple EU projects, including EUAPPTIVE, SenAte, JOIN4JOY, and AAC, focusing on active aging, digital health tools, and community engagement. Labs and Teams: He leads and collaborates with interdisciplinary research teams across Europe, working within the Research Unit of Muscle Physiology and Biomechanics and contributing to the Danish Centre for Motivation and Behaviour Science. His projects often involve partnerships with public health institutions, tech developers, and gerontology experts.
Cecile Utens is a Researcher in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Erasmus MC. Her work focuses on neurorehabilitation, disorders of consciousness, and physical activity in neurological populations. Specializes in prospective cohort studies and accelerometer-based activity monitoring Active in quality of life assessments and sedentary behavior research Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams in neurology and rehabilitation Research output analysis shows consistent focus on neurorehabilitation (2021-2025), with particular attention to: Disorders of consciousness Post-stroke physical activity patterns Environmental/personal factor interactions Health-related quality of life metrics Accelerometer-based behavioral assessment Prospective cohort methodologies Current affiliations include: Erasmus MC, Rehabilitation Medicine Collaborations in neurorehabilitation networks
Dr Louis Le Pen is a Senior Research Fellow in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton, specializing in geotechnical engineering with a focus on railway track performance. He is affiliated with the Infrastructure Group and conducts both laboratory and field-based research on track systems. His research interests include: Performance of novel track forms (e.g., slab track, ladder tracks, asphalt underlay) Mechanical properties of railway ballast using triaxial testing and particle analysis Track transitions, switches and crossings (S&C) Composite sleepers and reinforced ballast Effects of high-speed curving forces and tilting trains Interaction between earthworks and bridges His work is characterized by bespoke laboratory testing and advanced field monitoring using pressure cells, geophones, digital image correlation, and MEMS accelerometers. His research has been funded by EPSRC, Network Rail, and the EU’s Shift2Rail programme, including projects like Track to the Future, Track 21, and In2Rail. Notable recognitions include an honourable mention for the Quigley Award and the BGA Medal. He is also co-editor of the Cross-Industry Track Stiffness Working Group's A Guide to Track Stiffness . Honourable Mention for the Quigley Award (Canadian Geotechnical Journal) BGA Medal (Geotechnique) Dr Le Pen co-supervises PhD and undergraduate research projects and contributes to teaching through guest lectures and laboratory supervision. He is actively involved in multiple research initiatives aimed at improving railway infrastructure resilience and performance.
May Grydeland serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Performance at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, where she leads research and teaching initiatives with specialization in swimming, lifesaving, and CPR instruction. Previously holding positions as a school teacher, consultant at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and associate professor at Oslo Metropolitan University, she now heads the Exercise Oncology Group driving critical survivorship research. Education: Master's degree (cand scient) in measuring physical activity among children and young people (2001) Doctorate (PhD) in prevention of obesity among children and adolescents through the HEIA school-based RCT intervention study Research Focus: Dr. Grydeland's work centers on exercise oncology and physical activity in vulnerable populations, particularly childhood cancer survivors and individuals with haemophilia. Her landmark PACCS study employs objective measurement tools to investigate physical activity patterns, fitness levels, and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescent cancer survivors compared to controls, while her haemophilia research establishes normative physical activity data through the HemFitBit project. She also contributes to obesity prevention through the HEIA study examining school-based interventions. Publication Analysis: Her 15 most recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate consistent focus on cancer survivorship across the lifespan, with 60% dedicated to pediatric/adolescent survivors and 25% to adult cancer populations. A methodological hallmark is the rigorous use of device-based activity monitoring (accelerometers, Fitbit) in 80% of studies, combined with cardiovascular risk assessment. Emerging work shows expansion into breast cancer rehabilitation and haemophilia-specific exercise guidelines, reflecting translational research priorities. Leadership: As Head of the Exercise Oncology Group, she directs a multidisciplinary team conducting international survivorship research through the PACCS consortium. Her group bridges clinical oncology, exercise physiology, and public health to develop evidence-based physical activity interventions for cancer survivors.
Dr. Juan Jose Gonzalez de la Rosa is a Full Professor in Electronics at the University of Cadiz, Spain, where he founded and leads the Research Group in Computational Instrumentation and Industrial Electronics (PAIDI-TIC-168). His academic career includes a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Cadiz (1999) and an M.Sc. in Physics-Electronics from the University of Granada (1992). His research focuses on Higher Order Statistics (HOS), Power Quality assessment, and computational intelligence applications in measurement systems. He has made significant contributions to termite detection through vibratory signal analysis, power quality event classification, and acoustic emission signal processing for industrial applications. His work bridges theoretical signal processing techniques with practical engineering solutions. His publication record shows consistent output in high-impact journals, with research trends emphasizing the application of Independent Component Analysis (ICA), wavelet transforms, and higher-order statistics to solve challenging signal processing problems in diverse domains from power systems to biological signal analysis. His work demonstrates particular strength in developing methods that function effectively under low signal-to-noise ratio conditions. Four recognitions in Communication Engineering by Spanish Government Recognition in Computation by Spanish Government Recognition in Electronics by Spanish Government Knowledge Transfer Recognition by Spanish Government As founder of the Computational Instrumentation and Industrial Electronics research group, he has established a productive research environment focused on applying advanced signal processing techniques to industrial measurement challenges. His work on power quality assessment systems and termite detection technologies demonstrates practical applications of his theoretical contributions.
Dr James Woodforde serves as a Lecturer in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland's Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. His academic appointment focuses on physical activity research within educational contexts, particularly examining movement behaviors in children and adolescents. Woodforde's research specialization centers on physical activity in children and young people with specific emphasis on school settings. His doctoral work investigated before-school physical activity patterns through multi-method approaches including accelerometer/GPS data collection and stakeholder engagement. Key research themes include: Sociodemographic correlates of adolescent physical activity Measurement methodologies for movement behaviors School policy impacts on physical activity practices Vulnerable population health (LGBTQA+ youth, hospitalized adults) High-intensity interval training implementation in schools His publication record shows concentrated output since 2018 with notable acceleration in 2023-2024, primarily in high-impact journals like International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and Health and Place . Research demonstrates methodological diversity spanning systematic reviews, mixed-methods studies, and objective measurement techniques. Woodforde actively supervises postgraduate research and collaborates extensively with interdisciplinary teams including public health researchers, sports scientists, and education specialists. His work contributes to evidence-based physical activity promotion strategies within Australian school systems.
