Sports biomechanics professor to give free lecture

All are welcome to attend a free talk on 19 December where Professor Mike Lauder, in his inaugural lecture that takes its title from a Homer Simpson quote ‘If something’s hard to do, then it’s not worth doing,’ will discuss the difficulty of sports technique analysis in water-based sports.

Mike, who is director of the Institute of Applied Sciences at the University of Chichester, as well as Professor of Sports Biomechanics, said: “Is Homer Simpson a great philosopher? He says: ‘If something’s hard to do then it’s not worth doing’ – maybe not something we would want to admit to thinking, but probably believe to be true! Most things are difficult, especially research, but that also doesn’t mean something is worth doing just because it is difficult. I’d like to take people on a journey through my experiences as a sports biomechanist and leader, and let you decide where you sit on Homer’s philosophical sayings!”

The professor will look at problems and solutions for the analysis of sports technique in challenging environments. For decades the barrier due to water has presented issues for biomechanical analysis methods, leading to the analysis of technique in sports such as swimming and kayaking to lag behind other land-based sports. The lecture will present solutions that have helped overcome research in water-based environments and also demonstrate how doing ‘hard’ research can inform research leadership.

All are welcome to attend the event at the Mitre Lecture Theatre, University of Chichester, on 19 December at 6.30pm. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite at Mike-Lauder.eventbrite.co.uk.