Rate My Professor Suzi Edwards

Associate Professor Suzi Edwards is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Science (Honours) from the University of Wollongong, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Sydney. Her academic career includes positions as Senior Lecturer in the University of Newcastle's School of Environmental and Life Sciences and Lecturer in Exercise Science at Charles Sturt University's School of Human Movement Studies from February 2010 to January 2015. Edwards received the Outstanding New NSW Talent in Applied Sports Medicine Research award from the NSW Sporting Injuries Committee in 2001. Her research employs a multi-disciplinary biomechanical approach spanning science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine to develop effective intervention strategies that reduce the incidence and severity of sporting injuries and enhance athletic performance across diverse sporting communities.

Edwards' research interests focus on patellar tendinopathy, hamstring and adductor muscle strains, groin injury history, concussion during tackling, cricket fast bowling, chronic neck pain, movement variability, and neuromuscular fatigue. She collaborates with interdisciplinary partners including biomechanists, exercise physiologists, mechanical engineers, physiotherapists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, and medical imaging specialists from institutions such as La Trobe University, Griffith University, the University of Sydney, and the University of Nebraska Omaha. As Chief Investigator, she led a US$295,000 Myotendinous Injury grant, and as Co-Investigator, contributed to a US$207,000 patellar tendinopathy grant awarded in 2016-2017; these were the only successful Australian grants worldwide and represented the Australian Institute of Sport's largest external competitive research grants. Key publications include 'Overground running biomechanics and movement variability in sub-elite male athletes with and without a history of hamstring injury' (Blyton et al., 2022), 'Nonlinear running dynamics differ in male sub-elite athletes with a history of hamstring injury' (Blyton et al., 2022), 'Hip adductor spatial activation patterns after multidirectional running of athletic men with and without hip/groin pain history: a pilot study' (Cochrane et al., 2021), and '3D biomechanics of rugby tackle techniques to inform future rugby research practice: a systematic review' (Edwards et al., 2021). Through supervising 26 completed higher degree by research students and ongoing mentorship, she has made substantial contributions to sports biomechanics and injury prevention.