Research-Led Practice in Enhancing Sport and Human Performance

Sports and Human Performance Research Centre (SHPRC), Department of Physical Activity and Sports Science is dedicated to innovative, interdisciplinary, applied translational research in sport and human performance. SHPRC has extensive national and international collaborations and with five core themes: Athletics Sport Science, Rugby Sport Science, Endurance Sport Science, Esports Science, Weight Category Sport Science. This interactive session will showcase some of the cutting-edge research taking place within the five themes and the impact in enhancing sport and human performance.

This event may be recorded for future promotional use by the University of Limerick.

All venues are wheelchair accessible but should you have any specific accessibility queries, please contact us at: Research@ul.ie

Professor Giles Warrington

Giles Warrington is a Professor (Chair) of Human Performance and Innovation in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences (PESS). He is Co-Director of the Sport and Human Performance Research Centre (SHPRC), a member of the Health Research Institute (HRI) and founding member and Scientific Coordinator of the Jockey Health, Wellbeing and Performance Research Group. Giles is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, a Sport Ireland Institute accredited Performance Physiologist and Chair of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) Research Advisory Committee. His research interests reside in six areas: 1) Factors influencing athletic performance 2) Human performance evaluation 3) Weight regulation and weight category Sports 4) Environmental Physiology 5) Chronobiology and sleep science 6) Training methodology.

Professor Drew Harrison

Drew is an Emeritus Professor of Sports Biomechanics at the Physical Education & Sport Sciences Department at UL and served as Department Head from 2006 to 2012. He was director of the Biomechanics Research Unit and founding co-director of the Sport and Human Performance Research Centre at UL. Drew was President of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS) 2011-2014 and received the ISBS Geoffrey Dyson Award in 2014. Drew’s major research interests focus on the biomechanics sport and the applications of functional data analysis in biomechanics. Drew’s most recent research focuses on the development of technology to improve false starts detection in athletics.

Professor Ian Kenny

Ian Kenny is a professor of biomechanics, within the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences. He is Co-Director of the Sport and Human Performance Research Centre (SHPRC). He teaches biomechanics and functional anatomy and specialises in applied sports biomechanics. Ian's research interests are in the areas of: Injury biomechanics; Musculoskeletal modelling and computer simulation of movement; Sport and human performance; Effects of equipment parameters on golf performance. Current research projects and postdoctoral and PhD supervision include: Rugby Injury Surveillance; Training Load Association to Injury; Longitudinal Examination Of Movement Health Indices Via Wearable Sensing Technology.

Ian is co-Principal Investigator for the Irish Rugby Football Union IRIS injury epidemiology project. He serves on the editorial board for the journals Frontiers, and Sports Engineering, the Irish Rugby Football Union Research Advisory Committee, and the Scientific Committee for the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports.

Associate Professor Frank Nugent

Dr Frank Nugent is an Associate Professor in Sports Science in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Limerick (UL), Ireland and is the Endurance Sports Science lead for the Sport and Human Performance Research Centre, UL. Frank completed his PhD in exercise physiology in 2018. Frank is an accredited strength and conditioning (S&C) coach through the Sport Ireland Institute, United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association and a Weightlifting Ireland Level 2 Olympic Weightlifting Coach.

Frank’s experience is diverse having worked with youth, collegiate, professional, and Paralympic athletes. Frank has published research across a wide range of areas in S&C, exercise physiology, and biomechanics. His research interests include endurance training methodologies, low back pain in rowers, youth sport, Paralympic sport, and S&C.

Frank was previously a competitive rower and has been supporting rowers for over 10 years now as an S&C coach, sports scientist, and rowing coach. Frank has coached multiple junior and under 23 rowers to the Home Nations, European and World Championships.

Professor Mark Campbell

Mark Campbell is Professor of Sport and Performance Psychology in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences and a Science Foundation Ireland funded investigator. Mark is the Director of The Lero Esports Science Research Lab and co-lead of the Esports Science Theme within the Sport and Human Performance Research Center at UL. Marks primary research interests focus on exploring neurocognition in action – especially the motor imagery and attentional processes that underlie expertise in performers. Goals of this research are to further our understanding of cognitive and perceptual processes underlying skilled movement and how these skills can be applied.