Anthony Caterisano is a Professor of Health Sciences at Furman University, with over 35 years of academic and athletic leadership. He holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.S. from The University of Connecticut, SUNY, and UNC Chapel Hill. His research focuses on exercise physiology, resistance training, and sports medicine, with notable publications in journals like Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise . Dr. Caterisano is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM) and has authored/co-authored books on football training and resistance techniques. He has served as wrestling coach at Furman, Spartanburg Methodist College, and currently coaches at Wade Hampton High School. As a competitive powerlifter, he has secured 16 South Carolina state titles, 10 national titles, and 10 world gold medals in masters-level competitions. His work bridges scientific research and practical application, with grants and presentations on topics like strength training methodologies and cardiovascular adaptations. Key contributions include studies on Tsunami Barbell training, metabolic responses to exercise, and core muscle engagement. His awards reflect both academic excellence and athletic achievement, while his grants and presentations underscore his commitment to advancing sports science.
Professor Paweł Chmura is a Full Professor at Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, specializing in Sports Sciences with a focus on football performance analysis. He serves in the Department of Individual and Team Sports, where he conducts research on exercise physiology, training load monitoring, and physical activity analysis in soccer players. With over 130 publications, Professor Chmura is a recognized expert in sports science and also holds a UEFA A coaching license. Professor Chmura's research interests center on exercise physiology, particularly in the context of team sports. His work extensively examines repeated maximum effort capabilities, physical activity analysis in soccer players, and monitoring training loads. He has developed innovative concepts such as the Psychomotor Fatigue Threshold and investigates how environmental factors like temperature and air quality affect athletic performance. His research bridges the gap between theoretical sports science and practical coaching applications, making significant contributions to football performance optimization. Professor Chmura's extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on soccer performance analysis, with recent work expanding into multidisciplinary approaches including physiological, psychological, and tactical aspects of the game. His research shows increasing sophistication in methodology, incorporating advanced monitoring technologies and comprehensive analysis frameworks that consider multiple performance indicators simultaneously. This evolution reflects broader trends in sports science toward integrated, holistic approaches to athlete performance. Professor Chmura actively supervises the Motosoccer Student Research Club and invites master's and doctoral students to collaborate on research projects related to football, exercise physiology, game analysis, and motor preparation. His mentorship extends beyond formal academic supervision to practical coaching guidance, leveraging his UEFA A coaching certification to provide students with both theoretical knowledge and practical field experience. As a UEFA A-licensed football coach and tennis instructor, Professor Chmura maintains strong connections between academic research and practical sports applications. He leads the Motosoccer Student Research Club, which provides hands-on research opportunities for students interested in sports science. His dual expertise in academic research and practical coaching creates a unique environment for applied sports science research that directly impacts coaching methodologies and athlete development.
Dr. Bill Sheel is a Professor and Distinguished University Scholar at the School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the integrative physiology of exercise, particularly respiratory and cardiovascular interactions. Email: bill.sheel@ubc.ca Office: Chan Gunn Pavilion, Room 221B, Vancouver, BC Lab: Health and Integrative Physiology Laboratory Research Interests: Dr. Sheel investigates respiratory physiology during exercise, cardiovascular modulation by breathing patterns, and human performance optimization. His work spans elite athletes, aging populations, and clinical applications. Publication Trends: Recent studies include pulmonary mechanics in exercise physiology, respiratory muscle training applications, and socio-cultural factors in sports science. Collaborative works address aging interventions and environmental influences on athletic performance. Scientific Recognition: Distinguished University Scholar, UBC Laboratory & Collaborations: Leads the Health and Integrative Physiology Laboratory at UBC, focusing on respiratory-cardiovascular integration and exercise tolerance mechanisms.
Professor Holly Thorpe is a Professor of Sociology in Te Huataki Waiora / School of Health at the University of Waikato, specializing in Sport and Human Movement. She serves as Associate Dean Research in the Division of Health PVC Office and is an internationally recognized sociologist of sport, physical culture and gender whose work has earned prestigious fellowships and awards including Fulbright, Leverhulme, and Royal Society honors. Her educational background includes a PhD from the University of Waikato and Papa Reo Level 1 certification from Te Wananga o Aotearoa, reflecting both academic excellence and cultural engagement with Māori language and knowledge systems. Professor Thorpe's research centers on equity and inclusion in sporting cultures, with particular attention to women's health and wellbeing, sport and gender, and the impact of social media on athletic experiences. She employs critical and feminist theoretical frameworks with expertise in qualitative methods to examine how sport, physical activity, and health intersect in rapidly changing social landscapes. Her work spans gender studies, feminist methodologies, sports science, sociology of health, and digital media studies within sporting contexts, with a strong commitment to community-engaged research. Her extensive publication record reveals consistent thematic focus on contemporary issues including menstruation in sport, digital technologies and athlete experiences, pandemic impacts on wellbeing, and the gendered dimensions of mega-sport events. Her work frequently employs intersectional analysis and collaborates across disciplines to address complex questions about embodiment, identity, and social change in sporting cultures, particularly as they relate to women and marginalized communities. Professor Thorpe's significant scholarly recognition includes: Royal Society Early Career Research Excellence Award for Social Sciences (2018) Fellow of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (2018) Royal Society James Cook Fellowship for a two-year project focused on women's wellbeing through and beyond pandemic (2021) She actively supervises students and has secured substantial research funding including the Te Punaha Matatini CORE Research Institute project 'Youth Wellbeing in Uncertain Times: The Voices of Rangatahi from Flood-Effected Tairāwhiti Gisborne' (2023-2025). Professor Thorpe collaborates extensively with international and national sports organizations including the International Olympic Committee, High Performance New Zealand, Sport New Zealand, Skateistan, and Voice in Sport to ensure her research has real-world impact on policy and practice. She serves as Series co-editor for 'New Femininities in Digital, Physical and Sporting Cultures' and maintains active media engagement through The Conversation and other outlets. Professor Thorpe leads several significant research initiatives including 'Reimagining Fields of Play' (2023) and co-organized the 'Gender, Health and Wellbeing Symposium' (2022), demonstrating her commitment to creating spaces for critical dialogue about sport, gender, and health while advancing culturally responsive methodologies that center Indigenous and diverse perspectives.
Marita Dale is a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney and an Early Career Researcher affiliated with the Charles Perkins Centre. She specializes in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, focusing on exercise interventions for chronic respiratory and cardiac diseases, particularly asbestos-related and dust-related conditions. Her work emphasizes improving accessibility to pulmonary rehabilitation services and leveraging mHealth technologies for patient care. Education: PhD in Physiotherapy (2016, University of Sydney). Her research interests include optimizing pulmonary rehabilitation through mobile health platforms, such as the m-PR™ app, and investigating pediatric burn injury rehabilitation, including orthosis use and scar prevention. She also explores multimorbidity management and simulation-based learning in healthcare education. Recent studies have highlighted her contributions to COPD care protocols, telehealth implementation during the pandemic, and qualitative analyses of patient experiences. Major awards: Sydney School of Health Sciences Teaching Citation (2022), Ashurst Prize for Outstanding Oral Presentation (2015), Helga Pettitt FHS Postgraduate Study Award (2010). Marita supervises Honours, Masters, and PhD students, including Mitchell Taylor on airway clearance in bronchiectasis. Her teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate programs in cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal physiotherapy. She collaborates on projects like the Lung Support Service, a nationwide text message program for chronic respiratory patients during the pandemic, and contributed to the commercialization of the Perx-R app for pulmonary rehab. Labs/teams: Active member of the Charles Perkins Centre, focusing on interdisciplinary chronic disease research and healthcare innovation.
Dr. James W. Navalta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research focuses on physiological responses to outdoor exercise (hiking, trail running) and the validity/reliability of wearable technology. He earned his B.S. in Physical Education and Biology from Brigham Young University–Hawaii, M.S. in Kinesiology from UNLV, and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Purdue University. Education: B.S. - Physical Education & Biology, Brigham Young University–Hawaii M.S. - Kinesiology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Ph.D. - Exercise Physiology, Purdue University His research portfolio includes: Wearable technology validation for physiological measurements Comparative studies of indoor vs outdoor exercise environments Impact of gender-inclusive approaches on sports science Metabolic and cardiovascular responses to unconventional workouts Psychological benefits of nature immersion Recent publications demonstrate expertise in: Wearable device accuracy testing VO2max and lactate threshold validation Environmental influence on exercise physiology Methodological improvements in data collection Gender-inclusive research design Outdoor activity impact assessment As co-founder and executive editor of the International Journal of Exercise Science, he contributes significantly to academic discourse. He also serves on editorial boards for journals related to digital health and exercise technology.
Jørgen Arendt Jensen is a Professor of Biomedical Signal Processing at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), with dual affiliations in the Department of Health Technology and the Department of Electrical Engineering (DTU Elektro). He leads the Center for Fast Ultrasound Imaging (CFU), a collaborative initiative involving DTU, BK Medical, Rigshospitalet, and DTU Nanotech. His research focuses on advanced medical ultrasound technologies, including synthetic aperture imaging, vector flow imaging, and ultrasound simulation, aiming to improve clinical image acquisition efficiency and accuracy. He teaches medical imaging courses and co-initiated the joint biomedical engineering program between DTU and the University of Copenhagen. Jensen’s work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and innovation. His research interests span algorithm development for fast ultrasound imaging, blood velocity characterization, and simulation of ultrasound systems. He supervises multiple PhD students and collaborates on projects involving transducer design, real-time imaging systems, and microvascular pathology analysis. Recent publications emphasize advancements in super-resolution ultrasound imaging, transducer optimization, and pressure gradient estimation. His lab, CFU, develops cutting-edge imaging solutions for clinical applications. Jensen’s contributions include patents on ultrasound imaging techniques and collaborative ventures to enhance diagnostic capabilities through interdisciplinary engineering.
Ulrik Wisløff is a Professor and Head of the Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging. He also holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Queensland, Australia, and serves as Head of Physical Performance at Rosenborg FC. His research focuses on exercise physiology, translating experimental findings into clinical applications, and developing health technologies like the PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) metric. Wisløff leads CERG, a 55-member group renowned for groundbreaking studies on exercise in cardiovascular health, aging, and disease prevention. He has authored over 340 peer-reviewed papers, with 127,000+ citations, and been recognized as one of the world's top-cited exercise scientists. Key achievements include the Fitness Calculator (used by 80.5 million people) and PAI, a free app with 70 million users worldwide. Current projects include NorEx (9,700 patients with myocardial infarction) and ExPlas (Alzheimer’s cognitive function trials). Wisløff has mentored 22 postdocs and 38 PhD students, advancing the next generation of researchers. His leadership extends to innovative ventures like the 'My Medical Digital Twin' project, spun into Mia Health Ltd. Scientific contributions span exercise physiology, cardiovascular risk prediction, and high-intensity training efficacy. Awards include Norway’s highest honor in heart research (2020). Research spans molecules-to-society translational medicine, emphasizing global health impact through physical activity advocacy.
Professor Craig Williams is a renowned academic at the University of Exeter’s School of Public Health and Sport Sciences. He serves as Director of the Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre (CHERC) and lectures on physiological aspects of undergraduate and postgraduate programs. His work bridges clinical and applied settings, focusing on pediatric populations. BEd (Hons) from University of Exeter (1987) MSc from University of Alberta (1992) PhD from University of Exeter (1995) Williams specializes in paediatric exercise physiology, investigating physiological responses to high-intensity exercise and fatigue in children (6-18 years). His research integrates clinical applications for cystic fibrosis and congenital heart disease, alongside youth sports performance. He emphasizes exercise tolerance, fatigue mechanisms, and their relationship to growth, maturation, and sex differences. He has been recognized as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2006. His professional roles include Honorary Research Fellow at RD&E Hospital Trust since 2006 and leadership in CHERC. Williams contributes to sustainable development goals such as Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3) and Quality Education (SDG 4).
Panteleimon Ekkekakis is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State University’s College of Education. His research focuses on affective responses to exercise, including their psychobiological mechanisms and implications for exercise behavior. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Ekkekakis’ work explores the pleasure and displeasure associated with exercise, emphasizing their role in predicting long-term adherence. His research spans topics like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), obesity, mental health interventions, and physical education practices. Notably, he critiques methodological flaws in HIIT studies and advocates for evidence-based exercise guidelines. His recent articles highlight critical analyses of HIIT efficacy, the role of affective valence in exercise adherence, and the need for paradigm shifts in obesity treatment. He emphasizes the importance of personalized exercise programs that prioritize subjective enjoyment to enhance public health outcomes. While no specific awards are listed, his contributions to exercise psychology and policy advocacy are significant. His research has informed debates on fitness testing in schools and the integration of exercise into clinical depression treatment.
Jonathan Little is a Professor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan , affiliated with the Faculty of Health and Social Development and School of Health and Exercise Sciences . He leads the Exercise Metabolism and Inflammation Laboratory (EMIL) , focusing on the intersection of exercise physiology, nutrition, and metabolic disorders. Hons B. Kin – McMaster University, 2005 M.Sc. – University of Saskatchewan, 2007 Ph.D. – McMaster University, 2010 Postdoctoral Fellowship – UBC, 2010-2012 His research investigates how metabolic disruptions in type 2 diabetes affect cellular inflammation and how exercise/nutritional strategies can mitigate these effects. Key areas include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) , nutritional ketosis , and immunometabolic responses . EMIL combines human clinical trials with cellular/molecular experiments, utilizing advanced tools like flow cytometry and metabolic carts. His recent publications emphasize exercise snacks (short, frequent workouts), ketone supplements , and fasting protocols for managing diabetes and obesity. He has received prestigious awards like the Killam Accelerator Fellowship and CIHR New Investigator Award . Killam Accelerator Research Fellowship (2021-2023) Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Young Investigator Award (2020) UBC Killam Research Fellowship (2018) Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2018-2023) American College of Sports Medicine New Investigator Award (2016) CIHR New Investigator Salary Award (2015-2020) He supervises graduate students in HMKN 313 – Exercise Metabolism and mentors through the HMKN 499 Research Practicum . His lab (EMIL) collaborates with institutions like the BC Diabetes Research Network and serves as an Associate Editor for Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism .
Jan Helgerud is a Professor in the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. His research focuses on exercise physiology, endurance training, and cardiovascular health, with particular emphasis on aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and their clinical applications in chronic diseases and rehabilitation. Research Interests: Exercise physiology and its impact on health and disease High-intensity interval training (HIIT) adaptations in athletes and clinical populations Cardiovascular and metabolic responses to exercise Strength training in patients with rheumatic diseases, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injuries Physiological determinants of endurance performance in sports like cycling and cross-country skiing Recent Article Trends: Recent work emphasizes the efficacy of high-intensity training protocols for improving aerobic capacity (VO2max) and functional outcomes in diverse populations, including elite athletes and patients with long-term conditions like long-COVID or rheumatic diseases. Studies also explore mechanisms of muscle adaptation, heat tolerance in occupational settings, and digital health tools for exercise assessment. Advising & Grants: Collaborations with colleagues on randomized controlled trials for strength and endurance interventions Focus on translational research linking physiological insights to clinical outcomes Labs/Teams: Active in NTNU's Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, contributing to interdisciplinary projects in sports science and rehabilitation medicine.
Prof. Barry Smyth holds the Digital Chair of Computer Science at University College Dublin and serves as Director of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics. A Fellow of the European Coordinating Committee on Artificial Intelligence (ECCAI) since 2003 and Member of the Royal Irish Academy since 2011, he previously directed the Clarity Centre for Sensor Web Technologies (2008-2013) and led UCD's School of Computer Science and Informatics as Head of School. His research spans Artificial Intelligence with core expertise in case-based reasoning, machine learning, and recommender systems, uniquely applied to domains including e-commerce personalization, health informatics, and sports science. Recent work demonstrates exceptional translational impact through marathon training optimization systems that generate personalized injury-prevention protocols and performance predictions, bridging AI theory with real-world athletic applications. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a strong trend toward interdisciplinary AI applications: 60% focus on sports science (particularly marathon running), 25% on privacy-enhanced recommender systems, and 15% on financial time-series analysis. This reflects his strategic shift from pure algorithmic innovation toward high-impact societal applications while maintaining technical rigor in areas like federated learning and contrastive embedding. Barry Smyth's scientific recognition includes: ECCAI Fellowship (2003) Royal Irish Academy Membership (2011) Honorary Doctorate from Robert Gordon University (2014) SFI Researcher of the Year (2014) Over 20 best paper awards Earnst & Young Entrepreneur Finalist (2006) Irish Software Association's Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (2012) His research funding and advisory impact manifests through entrepreneurial success: co-founding ChangingWorlds (acquired for $60M) and HeyStaks (€3M venture capital), while actively advising Irish startups and serving on the Irish Times Trust board. This commercial translation complements traditional grant funding, with his 400+ publications generating 13,000+ citations and an h-index of 58. Leading the Recommender Systems research group at Insight Centre, Smyth directs collaborative projects spanning academia and industry. His teams integrate computer scientists, sports physiologists, and financial analysts to develop deployable AI solutions, notably the marathon training recommendation system used by recreational runners globally and privacy-preserving frameworks adopted by financial technology partners.
Paul Mellick serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Health and Exercise Science department at the Morrison Family College of Health, University of St. Thomas, following seven years as a clinical faculty member at Winston-Salem State University during doctoral studies. His academic credentials include: Bachelor of Arts (2005) in Exercise Physiology from College of St. Scholastica Master of Arts (2006) in Exercise Physiology from College of St. Scholastica PhD in Kinesiology from University of North Carolina at Greensboro Research focuses on metabolic and hormonal regulation during high-intensity exercise, with practical applications derived from clinical facility research and elite athlete collaborations. His strength coaching background bridges theoretical exercise science with real-world athletic training methodologies.
Jason Au is an Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo, specializing in vascular physiology and exercise-related cardiovascular dynamics. His research focuses on understanding complex blood flow patterns, arterial stiffness, and the impact of exercise on vascular health. He leads the Vascular Observations through Research on Technology and Exercise (VORTEX) Lab, integrating advanced imaging techniques like high-frame-rate ultrasound. Dr. Au holds a BSc and PhD in Kinesiology from McMaster University and a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. His research interests include three main areas: 1) Complex blood flow and wall motion in arteries/veins, 2) Sedentary behavior/exercise exposure on vascular risk, and 3) Novel biomarkers of vascular disease progression. His work combines experimental models with computational approaches to study vascular health comprehensively. Key publications highlight innovations in ultrasound imaging (e.g., vector projectile imaging) and physiological mechanisms like arterial wall motion regulation. Dr. Au’s lab offers graduate supervision across MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral levels, with active projects exploring exercise countermeasures to vascular disease and technological advancements in medical imaging. Laboratory activities emphasize translational research, bridging basic science and clinical applications to improve cardiovascular health outcomes. Collaborations span engineering, physiology, and clinical domains to address unresolved questions in vascular biology.
