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Dear all,
A 3 year funded PhD course in Exercise and Sport Science has been advertised, with a deadline of 31 August 2011 (the application needs to be delivered within that date).
If you know of any bright young students who may be interested in doing a PhD with me in Italy on a project entitled “Energetics and biomechanics of a passively assisted locomotion: handbiking”, please forward this e-mail to them and suggest that they submit an application.
Description: As other wheeled (cycling and wheelchair) and sliding (cross-country skiing) progression modes, handbiking is testimony to the continuous quest to overcome, by using passive man-made tools, the limits to locomotion imposed by the environment and our musculo-skeletal system. The study of the physiological and mechanical aspects of such form of locomotion sheds light on the adaptation of human muscles-joints-bones complex to current versions of handbike and helps to predict its further development. For its sinchronous upper limbs involvement, handbiking seems to share its mechanics more with walking than with (asynchronous) cycling, with unexpected implications for joints’ biomechanics and kinematics of body centre of mass. It is very interesting to study such a matter both in ecologic context and biomechanics laboratory by means of motion capture, force transducers and indirect calorimetry, using optoelectronic system, commercial and prototypical crank powermeters, high rate GPS receiver and portable metabograph. Gained knowledge would also contribute to boost handbiking as a form of exercise/sport among disabled people. Availability of subjects heterogeneous for performance level is warranted (research group preliminary results presented at ISB 2011 Congress in Brussels). Studies may be performed together with other researchers belonging to national and/or foreign institutions.
Essential requirements: aptitude in mathematical/computer methods, a good Master-equivalent (5 y) degree in a biological/mathematical/engineering/medicine/sport science discipline, enthusiasm, experience in experimental physiology-biomechanics, data collection and analysis.
Desirable requirements: a technical background, programming skills (LabVIEW).
The information is in both English and Italian at the following site (read carefully):
Before and in addition to posting the application, the applicants should email me 1) their extended CV, 2) an informal letter about their reasons to apply for a PhD studentship to work on the above cited topic with me and 3) their application form filled.
Relevant references:
1. Physiological adaptation of a mature adult walking the Alps. Ardigò LP, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Schena F. Wild Environ Med, 2011 (accepted for publication);
2. Measured and predicted mechanical internal work in human locomotion. Nardello F, Ardigò LP, Minetti AE. Hum Mov Sci. 2011 Feb;30(1):90-104. Epub 2010 Nov 5;
3. Low-cost match analysis of Italian sixth and seventh division soccer refereeing. Ardigò LP. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Sep;24(9):2532-8;
4. Energy cost and mechanical efficiency of riding a human-powered recumbent bicycle;
5. Keystroke dynamics and timing: accuracy, precision and difference between hands in pianist's performance. Minetti AE, Ardigò LP, McKee T. J Biomech. 2007;40(16):3738-43. Epub 2007 Jul 27;
6. Human locomotion on snow: determinants of economy and speed of skiing across the ages. Formenti F, Ardigò LP, Minetti AE. Proc Biol Sci. 2005 Aug 7;272(1572):1561-9;
7. Biomechanics and energetics of basketball wheelchairs evolution. Ardigò LP, Goosey-Tolfrey VL, Minetti AE. Int J Sports Med. 2005 Jun;26(5):388-96;
8. The optimal locomotion on gradients: walking, running or cycling? Ardigò LP, Saibene F, Minetti AE. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003 Oct;90(3-4):365-71. Epub 2003 Jul 25.
Best wishes,
Luca P. Ardigò PhD
Sport Lecturer
Faculty Of Exercise and Sports Science
University of Verona
43, via Felice Casorati
IT-37131
Verona (VR)
Italy
off. +39 045 842 5117
fax +39 045 842 5131
email: luca.ardigo@univr.it
A 3 year funded PhD course in Exercise and Sport Science has been advertised, with a deadline of 31 August 2011 (the application needs to be delivered within that date).
If you know of any bright young students who may be interested in doing a PhD with me in Italy on a project entitled “Energetics and biomechanics of a passively assisted locomotion: handbiking”, please forward this e-mail to them and suggest that they submit an application.
Description: As other wheeled (cycling and wheelchair) and sliding (cross-country skiing) progression modes, handbiking is testimony to the continuous quest to overcome, by using passive man-made tools, the limits to locomotion imposed by the environment and our musculo-skeletal system. The study of the physiological and mechanical aspects of such form of locomotion sheds light on the adaptation of human muscles-joints-bones complex to current versions of handbike and helps to predict its further development. For its sinchronous upper limbs involvement, handbiking seems to share its mechanics more with walking than with (asynchronous) cycling, with unexpected implications for joints’ biomechanics and kinematics of body centre of mass. It is very interesting to study such a matter both in ecologic context and biomechanics laboratory by means of motion capture, force transducers and indirect calorimetry, using optoelectronic system, commercial and prototypical crank powermeters, high rate GPS receiver and portable metabograph. Gained knowledge would also contribute to boost handbiking as a form of exercise/sport among disabled people. Availability of subjects heterogeneous for performance level is warranted (research group preliminary results presented at ISB 2011 Congress in Brussels). Studies may be performed together with other researchers belonging to national and/or foreign institutions.
Essential requirements: aptitude in mathematical/computer methods, a good Master-equivalent (5 y) degree in a biological/mathematical/engineering/medicine/sport science discipline, enthusiasm, experience in experimental physiology-biomechanics, data collection and analysis.
Desirable requirements: a technical background, programming skills (LabVIEW).
The information is in both English and Italian at the following site (read carefully):
Before and in addition to posting the application, the applicants should email me 1) their extended CV, 2) an informal letter about their reasons to apply for a PhD studentship to work on the above cited topic with me and 3) their application form filled.
Relevant references:
1. Physiological adaptation of a mature adult walking the Alps. Ardigò LP, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Schena F. Wild Environ Med, 2011 (accepted for publication);
2. Measured and predicted mechanical internal work in human locomotion. Nardello F, Ardigò LP, Minetti AE. Hum Mov Sci. 2011 Feb;30(1):90-104. Epub 2010 Nov 5;
3. Low-cost match analysis of Italian sixth and seventh division soccer refereeing. Ardigò LP. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Sep;24(9):2532-8;
4. Energy cost and mechanical efficiency of riding a human-powered recumbent bicycle;
5. Keystroke dynamics and timing: accuracy, precision and difference between hands in pianist's performance. Minetti AE, Ardigò LP, McKee T. J Biomech. 2007;40(16):3738-43. Epub 2007 Jul 27;
6. Human locomotion on snow: determinants of economy and speed of skiing across the ages. Formenti F, Ardigò LP, Minetti AE. Proc Biol Sci. 2005 Aug 7;272(1572):1561-9;
7. Biomechanics and energetics of basketball wheelchairs evolution. Ardigò LP, Goosey-Tolfrey VL, Minetti AE. Int J Sports Med. 2005 Jun;26(5):388-96;
8. The optimal locomotion on gradients: walking, running or cycling? Ardigò LP, Saibene F, Minetti AE. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003 Oct;90(3-4):365-71. Epub 2003 Jul 25.
Best wishes,
Luca P. Ardigò PhD
Sport Lecturer
Faculty Of Exercise and Sports Science
University of Verona
43, via Felice Casorati
IT-37131
Verona (VR)
Italy
off. +39 045 842 5117
fax +39 045 842 5131
email: luca.ardigo@univr.it