Stephen Bird

Professor Stephen Bird is a renowned performance scientist and strength and conditioning expert at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), leading the School of Health and Medical Sciences. He holds the title of Professor (Sport and Exercise Science) and directs the High-Performance Sport program. His roles include Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Strength and Conditioning and advisor to organizations like the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association.

• Education: BHumMov(ExSc), BHumMov(Hons), and PhD from Charles Sturt University.
• Research Focus: Strength and conditioning methodologies, nutritional supplementation, athlete recovery, and technology-driven performance optimization.
• Key Projects: '2 WIN 2032' student-athlete empowerment initiative, NBA sleep health studies, and blood flow restriction (BFR) training for muscle/bone health in space travel.
• Affiliations: Institute for Resilient Regions (IRR), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) peer review, and collaborations with Flinders University, University of Gloucestershire.

Research interests span elite athlete performance (basketball, rugby, hockey), female athlete health, and applications of pupillometry and wearable tech for fatigue monitoring. Awards include the prestigious ESSA Medal (2006) and Life Membership (Western Region Academy of Sport). Teaching includes courses on strength training, sports nutrition, and athlete workload monitoring. He has supervised over 20 doctoral and master’s students, contributing to >40 research outputs annually.

Grants include a $832k Quantum wearable sensor project (2024) and $240k AI-driven motion capture initiative. His work bridges academia and elite sport, advising teams like the Brisbane Bullets (NBL) and GB Women’s Basketball. Recent trends in publications emphasize NBA performance metrics, sleep science, and interdisciplinary solutions for athlete resilience.