Long-term lessons learned in biomechanics: 2021 Geoffrey Dyson Lecture

ABSTRACT

After recently accepting an offer to retire, I have taken the opportunity to reflect on long-term lessons learned throughout my 40-year career as a biomechanist in academia. These lessons formed the basis of my 2021 Geoffrey Dyson Lecture and are summarised within this article. Most of these lessons are targeted at early career researchers, although my recent transition into retirement revealed some unexpected lessons that apply to senior academics. The lessons presented relate to the need to be passionate and persistent about your research, the importance of being unique and embracing failure as a mentor, as well as running with opportunities that arise. Appreciating that a career takes time to evolve, strategies to nurture a committed and supportive research team, the importance of committing to a professional society, and the need to be kind to yourself are also discussed. Why so few women receive career awards in biomechanics and when should academics retire are also addressed. I hope that highlighting lessons learned over an academic career as a biomechanist, combined with suggested practical strategies to thrive in academia, ensure academics can savour a fulfiling career in biomechanics while producing high-quality research into the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Academia
• career
• women in biomechanics
• building a laboratory
• retirement

Acknowledgments

I would like to sincerely acknowledge Emeritus Professor Bruce Elliott, 1989 recipient of the Geoffrey Dyson Award and my Honours thesis supervisor, who sparked my initial passion for biomechanics and mentored my early career. I also thank Dr Ina Janssen, ISBS Vice President (Research & Projects) and BRL graduate for nominating me for this prestigious award; Dr Sheridan Gho, CEO of Cenofex Innovations and BRL graduate for allowing me to present my Geoffrey Dyson Lecture online from her studio; and the ISBS Awards committee who honoured me with this prestigious award. In addition, I sincerely thank my husband of 37 years for unreservedly supporting me, and my children, Jessica and Harrison, for keeping me grounded throughout my career. Finally, I whole-heartedly thank past and present BRL team members and other colleagues who I have interacted with around the world. You are the individuals who have shaped my career over the past 40 years. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for each of you and for the discipline of biomechanics.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The author reported there is no funding associated with the preparation of this article.