HWB Research Seminar Series Twelve Spring/Summer 2022 Seminar Three

Health & Wellbeing Research Seminar Series Twelve

'The Art of Applying Science and being Impactful in High Performance Sport'

presented by

Dr Philip Graham-Smith

Head of Biomechanics and Innovation at Aspire Academy, Qatar and Visiting Research Fellow in the Faculty of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Winchester

Throughout my academic career I have always adopted a more outward facing approach to research. I want my research to have purpose and reflect all the time and energy that went into it. This approach has created many opportunities and allowed me to have a very fulfilling and rewarding career working in high performance sport, and more recently as an entrepreneur in sports technology. Having worked with elite athletes for almost 30 years, I have become increasingly aware that there is an ‘art’ to being impactful, where the stimulus for research has been driven by a ‘performance solutions’ mindset. This initially stems from researchers engaging closely with end-users, developing the most appropriate solutions and providing answers to their specific performance questions. Developing competencies to communicate findings in digestible and engaging formats contributes to the success of projects. I will share examples of how biomechanical service provision and applied research has evolved from more traditional methods to ones which have become more widely available, providing instant analysis and being more engaging and interactive. The session will aim to stimulate, challenge and encourage participants to reflect on their approach to research and explore ways in which to demonstrate impact.

Health & Wellbeing Research Seminar Series Twelve Spring/Summer 2022

This twelfth Research Seminar Series is brought to you by the Faculty of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Winchester.  This series introduces Research colleagues, students and Visiting Research Fellows in the Faculty, who will present about current health and wellbeing research and other health and wellbeing research-related topics. Participating researchers can explore critical challenges in research and knowledge exchange, share expertise and forge connections that will support the development of future projects across a wide range of themes.

Dr Philip Graham-Smith, CSCS, CSci, FBASES

Dr Philip Graham-Smith has had a long and established career as a biomechanist working in academia, professional sport and private industry. He is currently Head of Biomechanics and Innovation at Aspire Academy in Qatar and was formerly Head of Department and Associate Head of School for Business and Engagement at the University of Salford. Phil is a Fellow and accredited member of BASES, a Chartered Scientist, an ISPAS Level 5 Accredited Performance Analyst, and a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA). He provided biomechanical support to UK Athletics jumps squads for over 21 years prior to leaving for Qatar in 2013. In the 4 years leading to the London Olympics Phil was consultant Head of Biomechanics at the English Institute of Sport, and was a consultant to the footwear company FitFlops from 2006 to 2013. Phil was also the co-founder of ForceDecks, a dual force platform system which has been adopted by over 500 high performances sport institutes and professional sports teams worldwide. Phil’s passion and purpose is to help athletes, coaches and support teams to apply biomechanical principles in a simple and practical way.