My name is Nick Hamilton, and for over two decades, I’ve operated at the intersection of mechanical engineering and sports innovation. As a Principal Research Fellow in Sheffield Hallam University’s Sports Engineering Research Group (SERG), I’ve spent my career optimising equipment for elite athletes, designing everything from carbon fibre bikes to injury-preventing wrist guards. But […]
Health and Wellbeing Surveys in the parkrun population
by Charlotte Benkowtiz Parkrun, a worldwide community-based physical activity initiative, offers free, weekly, 5-kilometer runs in parks across the globe. Held every Saturday morning, parkrun brings together people of all ages and abilities, fostering physical activity and social connection. Parkrun participation includes running or walking the 5k, and volunteering, as the local events are organised […]
Human Factors in Sports Engineering
Human factors, otherwise referred to as ergonomics, is a design approach exploring how we as humans interact with the systems, products, and environments around us to enhance performance, safety and comfort. The application of human factors ensures that systems, products and services are designed to make them easier, safer and more effective for people to […]
MSc Sports Engineering – Reimagined
In September 2024, the MSc Sports Engineering course at Sheffield Hallam University will enter its 15th year of developing the next generation of sports engineers. The course, which is designed and delivered by researchers within the Sports Engineering Research Group (SERG), provides students with an authentic research informed learning experience. Since the course launched back […]
My journey from student to course leader in MSc Sports Engineering.
MSc Sports Engineering 2016-17 In September 2016 I enrolled at Sheffield Hallam University to begin my studies on the MSc Sports Engineering course. This was the eighth year that the course had run, with me and 18 fellow students from around the world descending on Sheffield to embark on our journey into the world of […]
Design development of a repeatable helmet test system for public order threat recreations
Our work on the “Design Development of a Repeatable Helmet Test System for Public Order Threat Recreations” has now been published! This paper, presented at the 3rd International Conference on Design Tools and Methods in Industrial Engineering in Florence Italy, explains some of the challenges with laboratory recreations of real-world head impact scenarios, particularly for […]
Empowering athletic excellence: transforming sports performance with biomechanics and technology
* SERG PhD Opportunity [OPEN 2024] * In the competitive realm of elite sports, athletes are constantly striving for peak performance, aiming to run faster, jump higher, and achieve their utmost potential. Central to this pursuit is biomechanical analysis, a pivotal tool for evaluating and optimizing human performance in various sporting disciplines. By providing quantitative […]
Bitesize access to novel research in sport- Introducing the ‘Sport Research Rundown’ podcast.
Every day, academics and professionals working within the sports industry are creating new ideas and discovering new things. The sports industry is a medley of cross-disciplinary knowledge and collaboration, bringing together engineers, nutritionists, psychologists, physiologist, people managers and coaches, biomechanists, programmers, and even chemists, who are helping to shape and define the future of sport! […]
Engineering for equity: how technology is making sports more inclusive
In the realm of sports, the pursuit of excellence knows no bounds. Athletes strive to push beyond their limits, competing at the highest levels of human capability. Yet, for many years, barriers have existed that prevent certain individuals from fully participating in sports due to various factors, including physical disabilities, technological limitations, and economic disparities. […]
Ambition to award: reflections on the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship application process.
The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) is a prestigious funding opportunity designed to support exceptional researchers and innovators in the UK. Funded by the UK government, it supports early career scientists, engineers, and researchers the chance to develop their leadership potential and conduct ambitious, transformative research across a wide range of disciplines. Through this program, […]
Engineering Sport 